Sin Eater
by Preshie
Summary: It was a simple enough paradigm, one he fitted well, one he knew inside and out.  Damon was the bad guy and Stefan was the good guy… that's how it was, that's the way it was meant to be.
1. Chapter 1

**Sin Eater**

_**Authors Note: **__Consider this a teaser for my new story which I'm not entirely done writing, so I won't be firing out chapters as quickly as I'd like. __I hope you all enjoy it. It's proving a difficult one for me to write but I hope it's not difficult to read. I promise I don't kill anyone…well not the good guys, let's put it like that. Anyone wondering about my alternate for 'Death of Eros' I've put it on hold, the more I think about messing with the original story the less I like it so, for now, it's not happening._

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**The Mistake**

Elena entered the boarding house finding Damon spread eagled across the sofa a full glass of bourbon hanging precariously from his fingers, a familiar scene.

He didn't acknowledge her presence. She wondered if he was drunk.

Neither spoke a word.

It had been a more than interesting night for all concerned. Dr Martin was dead at the hands of a worryingly helpful Katherine, Elijah was _still_ dead and everything seemed to have, for now, worked out in their favour. She did not anticipate this lasting long however, it never did.

Elena sighed, the weight of the world heavy on her shoulders, she really didn't want to fight anymore.

Pushing his booted feet out of the way, Elena sank gratefully onto the cushions next to him.

Damon regarded her thoughtfully. She looked dog tired; it had been a_ difficult_ few days, weeks…months, deciding she needed a little alcoholic fortification, he gestured toward her with the glass and she stared at the sloshing amber liquid before surprisingly accepting the offer and taking a tentative sip.

Damon sat up, pushing his back into the corner of the sofa so he was facing her and hooking his knee which unintentionally pressed against her hip. She licked her lips and handed the drink back leaving her fingers under his in a lingering touch before she pulled away.

Damon didn't make any wisecracks, truth be told he was just as wearied by the seemingly endless barrage of shitty luck their little band was experiencing and that had followed him his whole existence: he just didn't have the energy to be a smart ass right now.

He contented himself instead with watching her staring into the fire, logs sparking and popping and splitting, watching the orange light reflect off her abyssal brown eyes.

Damon took a drink allowing the glass rim to linger in his mouth; Elena turned her eyes on him again and reached across curling her fingers over his, taking the tumbler.

They sat together and Elena felt at ease, taking comfort in the shared drink and in the physical contact.

It was surreal and it couldn't last forever.

One minute she was reaching across to take another drink and the next, and Elena whole heartedly wished she could blame the alcohol for this but unfortunately was stone cold sober, she kissed him.

A loaded hesitation when her eyes lingered a moment too long on his lips and she was folded into his arms and she fit like she was home: Kissing him made all the sweeter because she shouldn't, all the more passionate because she knew it was wrong and infinitely more intoxicating because it was Damon.

It had not lasted long, though it felt like hours when Elena finally sat back, licking the traces of him from her lips. Damon was simply looking at her, expectantly and Elena didn't know what to say, so instead she stood and left.

...

Elena drove home in a daze, hardly aware of her surroundings.

Once inside she sank onto the bed, what was wrong with her? Did her heart pound at the sight of him because of love or lust?

That face of his… that face was made for love at first sight but even so, with all that was happening, why did she have to go and complicate it by kissing him?

Elena felt exhausted…she lay back on her bed, pounding the pillow under head in a vain attempt to get comfortable. Eventually exasperated, she threw the mangy thing away; it connected with the dresser, knocking an assortment of bottles and books to the floor.

The problem was, it felt and she sincerely thought this, like his mouth was made for her to kiss.

Elena had leaned in and Damon wrapped her in his arms. He didn't hesitate not even for a second, she'd seen the moment of realisation as she closed the space between them, startled blue eyes flashing hunger and need, Elena had wanted to know what that tasted like and now she did. The flavour of whiskey from his tongue and the smell of leather lingered evocatively on her skin: Haunted by the ghost of his hands running back through her hair, the pleasant prickling sensation of spreading heat pervaded her body.

Elena knew she should feel some measure of guilt but of everything that was going through her head, guilt was the last and least, merely a minor niggle. What sat foremost however was simply why.

She replayed the scene. Her thoughts churned.

She'd been over and over this and now as she lay sprawled across her unkempt bed hugging her teddy against her chest she was no closer to the answer, or at least an answer she wanted to hear. Unwanted conclusions crowded impatiently at the edges, waiting for her to let them through but Elena feared what it would mean for her if she did. What she would have to face.

"_There's something going on between us."_

He was right, irritatingly enough. Ever since the porch on founders day Elena's perception of the boundaries between them was blurring, she simply didn't know where he stood, where she wanted him to stand…

"_I'm not a hero Elena, I don't do good, it's not in me." He looked faintly amused by the idea._

_Elena frowned "Maybe it is."_

_He smiled almost gratefully "No, no that's reserved for my brother…you…" he caressed the word, her heart fluttered. _

"…_Bonnie…"he continued flashing dark brows, "even though she had every reason to hate me, still helped Stefan save me." _

_Elena studied his face carefully "Why do you sound so surprised?" _

_Damon grew increasingly serious "Cause she did it for you." he answered and took a uncertain step toward her "Which means that somewhere along the way, you decided that I was worth saving…" disbelief shook in his voice "and I wanted to thank you, for that." _

_Her eyes strayed to his mouth_ as _he leaned in, placing a chaste kiss softly on her cheek. _

_Elena almost turned into it but he drew back, she didn't know what to say, only thinking to allow herself this moment without guilt, her gaze fluttering between the curve of his mouth and his eyes, impossibly bright as he watched for her reaction._

_Damon leaned in again so slowly, so hesitantly she nearly let him do it and with the briefest and barest touch of skin on skin his mouth brushed over hers._

"_Damon," she breathed, half pleading, her hand was pressed against his chest, fingers gripping his shirt: unclear even to Elena whether she was pushing him away or pulling him closer._

"_I know," his heavy lidded eyes lingered a moment longer on her lips "I know." He stepped away, not far but enough._

_Elena swallowed hard, what was she thinking? _

_He smiled "You're not ready for the good stuff, I understand," the mask was firmly back in place. "After all," he drawled "once you taste chocolate, vanilla just doesn't quite satisfy." _

_He lingered suggestively at the last and Elena couldn't stop a small smile, grateful for some ease in tension, however small._

"_This," she motioned between them "is not chocolate, more like rocky road!" _

_His smile broadened "Still better than plain old vanilla!"_

"_I like vanilla." She pouted, trying in a round about fashion to defend Stefan, word play or no, he was basically calling Stefan, well, bland…_

_He shrugged and there was a lull in the banter, allowing a dangerous moment of reflection. She'd nearly let him kiss her, what the hell was she thinking…so, he'd caught her off guard with that thank-you, with his honesty, with…she stared at his mouth wishing, if only briefly, that she'd let him have his way with her._

Elena had tried to push that memory down, but it encroached insistently on her thoughts from where she'd buried it, like the beating of the tell tale heart.

Rocky road… How apt, at the time it was only a flippant remark, now it felt true. Their relationship, if you could call it that, wasn't so much a road as it was a dirt track up the side of some god forsaken mountain.

Elena set the teddy aside and retrieved her pillow, tossing it carelessly back on the bed.

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><p><em>Reviews are very welcome and much appreciated.<em>


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Guilt Trip**

Guilt had struck like a hangover the next morning and had hung around for the proceeding days that followed. It seemed, she mused sourly, that Damon had a similar affect on her as alcohol, dulling the senses and making her more prone to acting, let's say, _out of character_, and of course she was left subsequently to face the consequences of her actions in the harsh light of a brand new day.

In short, Elena needed someone to talk to; her journal wasn't a particularly good buffer when it came to the more serious problems and this was a serious problem.

But who? Bonnie? Elena could just imagine the scorn and judgment on her face if she admitted to kissing Damon.

Caroline…maybe, there was no love lost between the two but she'd understand having already had a taste of what he could offer…right?

She hesitated, Stefan and Caroline were becoming good friends, she didn't want to put her in an awkward position… she really needed to get this off her chest.

Elena slid her mobile out.

"_Hello."_

"Caroline, its Elena."

"_Hey, what's up?"_

"You fancy hanging out this afternoon, maybe at the grill?"

Caroline was silent for a moment "_Not the grill, I'm kinda trying to avoid…Matt."_

Elena could hear the tension in her voice; she was a sucky friend, not the only one with problems. _"How about my place? My mom is out."_ Caroline suggested brightly.

Elena smiled "Yes, your place would be great, are you there now?"

Caroline answered in the affirmative, "Can I come over?"

"_Yep, I'll see you in a bit?"_

"Thanks see you soon."

...

Caroline was all bounce and chit chat, possibly at little too much so but Elena relished the change from the seriousness of Stefan, she loved his earnestness, of course, but some fun moments wouldn't have gone amiss.

Usually a healthy dose of Damon was enough to dilute the sheer solemnity of their relationship but she'd been avoiding him like the plague.

So it had been one glass of serious straight up.

"Elena, as much as I love that we're hanging out, I think I know you well enough to say that this isn't just a girls night in thing." Caroline touched her arm "What's wrong?"

Elena cringed "I'm sorry we don't hang out like we used to, everything's just so…"

Caroline sat back "You don't have to explain, _I know_, believe me!"

Elena fell silent, so Caroline took the initiative "Spill, what has you looking so freaked out?"

Elena dove in "I kissed Damon."

Caroline's mouth fell open.

Elena nodded "I know."

"Did he force you?"

Elena felt a flash of irritation, he'd changed couldn't anyone see? Okay, so maybe Caroline had more reason to hate him than most.

"No, he…we were drinking …"

"Drinking? And…?" Caroline spread her hands.

"…and I kissed him."

"Just a peck?"

Elena held her breath "Made out."

"Elena!"

"What!" she whined "You know what he's like, I… I, once he had the hold of me I couldn't stop myself…"

Caroline rolled her eyes "Okay, so he's scary good, then he's just plain _scary_!"

Elena groaned, pressing her hands over her face.

Caroline suppressed her shock it wasn't helping; she could remember exactly what she'd thought of Damon before he went all Dracula on her: hotter than the surface of the sun and as sure of himself as the planets of their orbit.

She had no idea why Elena and Damon would be drinking together but it offered a chink of light in the situation. "You were drinking so…were you drunk?" she said hopefully.

"Sober," Elena whispered, "_Very_ sober. I just suddenly wanted…" she shook her head "I'm an idiot. I know we have chemistry but …" she tapered off breathless thinking back to the moment their mouths meet, feeling him struggling to contain himself, then wanting more and more and the sounds he made, moaning into her mouth…

Stop, for fuck sake stop! Elena squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't really one for swearing but now seemed like a good time.

"Shit." She said.

Caroline nodded "Indeed. What are you going to do? Tell Stefan?"

Elena grimaced, "I don't know, I should tell him, it was wrong. He should know." She fell silent, "I don't know how I feel for Damon, but I…I do know I love Stefan…so that's enough."

Caroline wanted to call her up on the hesitation but stopped herself, it was Elena's decision and honestly she was a little preoccupied herself. Caroline considered briefly telling Elena about Matt, she had trusted her with this after all…it would come out eventually. Caroline studied her friend's glum expression, it could wait.

They talked a little longer of girlie things and school until Elena finally said her goodbyes and left with the intention of finally having it out with Damon to put this _issue_ to rest.

...

That was the first time he'd properly kissed her and he found himself repeatedly replaying the moment over and over since that night, letting it draw out for longer, allowing himself to touch and stroke and caress in a way he'd dared not. He put a hand to his head pressing strong fingers into his temples.

Elena had kissed him. He smiled disbelievingly, what did that mean?

His heart fluttered and he rolled his eyes in disgust: he was such a little girl. He tried in vain to suppress the growing hope, bombarding himself with the memory of Katherine's betrayal, reminding himself of the burning disappointment but it was to no avail.

Damon knew the second she walked in, he didn't need to look round, all the same though, he did. Elena scanned the grill, her long dark hair tied up in a messy ponytail, flicking back and forth as she searched. Their eyes meet across the room, Elena approached and to say that Damon felt a certain sense of foreboding would be something of an understatement.

She had that set look about her face, a determination and he could tell what was coming.

Damon was getting used to seeing this expression; any woman he loved seemed destined to wear it with him in mind.

"Damon."

"Elena."

She eyed his drink, he offered. She licked her lips, uncertainly glancing at the bar staff.

"No, thank you."

Damon shrugged and took a drink himself.

She cleared her throat "We need to talk."

"I gathered as much and before we come to this conversations _inevitable_ conclusion," he said mordantly "Perhaps you could enlighten me."

Elena swallowed thickly "About what?" she whispered.

"Why?" was his answer "Why did you kiss me?"

Elena was afraid of this "I don't know."

He snorted "Of course you don't." Damon was about to neck the drink but stopped and slammed the glass down "Do you think I'm made of stone? That it doesn't hurt when you toy with me?" He slid from the bar stool, confronting her. Anger darkened eyes holding her in place.

"Damon I…" she flustered.

"…and it had to be here," he spread his hands, taking in their crowded and public surroundings, "Where I can't do anything."

"What do you mean? What would you do?" She looked faintly apprehensive and he sneered.

"What, you think I'm gonna massacre everyone?"

She glared at him "With your track record can you blame me?"

He barked a bitter laugh, such faith! "Touché!"

Elena flinched from his wounded expression "If it makes you feel better then I'm sorry."

She meant it earnestly but Damon laughed again "Oh yeah, that makes it a _whole lot_ better. _Thanks_."

"We can go over this and over this but it's still going to be the same..." Her voice was brittle and she knew the words sounded empty as they hung in the air between them but she needed to believe it, she needed him to see she meant it and she had to convince not only Damon but herself that it was true, so she continued with growing resolve.

"Whatever reason I kissed you it's not enough and never will be to separate me from Stefan."

Damon's eyes flared "But of course," he spat acidly "_nothing_ can come between a love like _yours_! You've got such a raging hard on for him that you'd even kiss me, safe in the knowledge that it couldn't possibly make a difference!"

Elena cringed; her voice was thick with tension and barely held anger. "I said I was sorry!"

"Well stop saying it." He growled. Knowing she regretted kissing him so much, though expected, did not make him feel any better not in the slightest, she had to see that.

"You're my friend," she tried to soothe him "we can't be more than that…it was a mistake. Can you understand?"

"A mistake?" He repeated. Elena was Stefan's; Elena loved Stefan and couldn't be more than a friend. Yes, he understood. What he felt was a mistake, what he wanted was a mistake. Damon's chest heaved against the increasing crushing weight that each word lay upon him, his throat constricted by each thick taut chain.

Elena wanted him to say something, anything, even a smart-ass comment would have been welcome but he just looked at her blankly.

"Well?" she finally exploded. He straightened, "In an ideal world we _learn_ from our mistakes, yet _you_ keep repeating the same one _over_ and _over."_

Her lips tightened, founders day didn't bloody count... "Fine! But this time I will _never_ repeat it." she sighed "You're my friend Damon, I don't want that to change."

His black brows angled sharply down, hooding his eyes, he had to work hard to keep his expression frozen. "You're right." He said at last and turned away from the surprise and relief on her face, "My bad!"

Elena closed her eyes, taking a slow steadying breath; a group of curious patrons were staring openly at them and she blushed furiously when she finally noticed, Damon was right, the grill was not the place to be having this conversation.

"Can we go somewhere else?" she half begged.

A smile cracked like a fissure across his stoney expression "Am I embarrassing you?"

"Humour me." She said seriously.

"Why bother," Damon stood "there's nothing more to say." He necked the drink and threw down money beside the empty glass.

"Damon!" Elena shouted after him over the din as he strode away, careless of what people thought of the scene they were making. She watched the door stupidly for a few seconds trying to recover her resolve before marching out after him.

The Chevy went squealing past as she burst into the light.

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><p><em>Please Review...<em>


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Confession**

Experience had taught Damon that just because a woman kissed you didn't mean you were worth anything to her, a lasting lesson from Katherine dearest.

Damon knew very well he was hot stuff, when he turned on the charm resistance was futile, but that didn't mean she loved him. No matter how much he wanted it to; no matter how much he'd thought Elena was better than that.

She could see what he wanted from her and blatantly refused to give it to him, instead dragging him along like a leashed dog. But deep down Damon knew Elena couldn't because there _was_ something between them and it was about his height, it was broody and it started with the letter S.

He could hear her car pull up and he watched from the window as she approached the door.

_Here we go again…_

...

What ever was going on between them had to stop.

She was not going to be Katherine. Elena didn't love Damon, she loved Stefan…she did…

Elena walked into the boarding house and called out for him. No answer.

She sighed heavily, where else would he be?

After that embarrassingly public argument, she had seriously considered leaving this mess as it was, unresolved, but she couldn't, though it may have been easier for them both if she did.

Elena poured a glass of bourbon as she waited, unsure whether it was for her or for him; she certainly felt she could use a bit of bolstering. Too many dreams tumbling over each other had made her night unsettled and restless, her nerves were shot and though the details increasingly evaded her as the day wore on, she remembered for certain that somewhere in the tangled mess of images she had dreamed of Damon.

When she turned to take a seat he was there watching her.

He eyed the drink, she offered, he took it.

"Damon?"

"Yes Elena?" he said tiredly.

"I'm with Stefan."

"Is this how we're going to start all our conversations from now on?" he smirked.

"No, I just thought I'd remind you."

He took a long swallow of bourbon hissing a sarcastic "Thanks." Before shoving the glass back into her hands.

"I thought we'd already covered this?" he bit tersely.

Elena grunted. "You _left _before we could finish."

"Like I said, there's nothing more to say."

She tapped the side of the glass absentmindedly, staring into the whiskey "I'm not trying to hurt you…" she said softly.

"No?" he laughed.

"It's just that you …_we_ seem to forget that there can't be anything between us and it's time we stopped."

"…Forget?" He said it like he was tasting the word and the look of outright disgust said he didn't like the flavour one bit. "You don't _forget_ Elena! I know I sure as hell don't."

"It's just that sometimes this…" he spread his hands "…_this_ is better than what you have with Stefan." He smiled derisively a sense of self deprecation in the words, almost as if he didn't believe it. _I don't deserve you but my brother does_. His own sentiments haunted him but he forced them down.

If she had just left him alone, he might have been able to follow up on all that he'd said to her that night…but when she had kissed him, it had given Damon a small hope and he'd latched onto it. _Hope,_ he thought bitterly, an insidious emotion, one that never served him well in the past and had yet to do him any good now.

Elena set the glass on the side board, glancing back at him from over her shoulder

"So, what is it, exactly, that you think you can give me that Stefan doesn't?" she asked tensely.

Damon flashed a half smile "I'm glad you asked me that," he said soberly "cause there's something you need to know about sex,"

"Damon." she groaned.

"No Elena," he interrupted "This is important." He put his hand on her arm, a mocking look of concern etched across his face. "This may be hard to understand but there's this thing called an orgasm."

Elena shook her head "That's not funny." She said flatly.

His hand fell away and he sighed. "What do you want to hear Elena," his tone was mocking and thickly laced with underlying frustration "That I'll give you the world, the moon?" His smile now was no longer playful but cruel, all humour bled from his features.

"All I have to give you is myself" he slid his fingers down her cheek, the tenderness in his touch a jarring juxtaposition to the edge in his voice "and I have it on good authority that that's worthless…but what more can I give?"

She refused to shy from him, trying to absorb all that he'd said.

"You are not worthless." She said earnestly "and on whose authority, Katherine's?" She felt jealousy surge "She doesn't know what's good for her."

"You and her both." He grunted, Elena blushed, unsure quite how they'd reached this point. She was supposed to be explaining herself and making sure Damon knew where he stood, not trying to comfort him. Why, in the end did it always come down to Katherine?

"Why do you always have to come back to Katherine?" he grated.

Elena blinked, shocked that he'd echoed her thoughts. "But you said…" she stuttered.

He pointed at her "_You_, mentioned Katherine, I wasn't talking about her." His finger jabbed at the air in front of her face and she leaned back from him.

"Do you honestly think that kissing me and then throwing me aside is making me feel _good_?

"Damon…" she sputtered.

"_Damon,_ what?" He snapped. "You're happy enough to kiss me when the fancy takes you, just as along as I don't expect any real feelings to be involved or, _heaven forbid_, reciprocated."

Elena baulked, "Damn it Damon, I can't love you…" she scowled up at him but the pleading was clear in her demeanour. "I'm with Stefan…" she finished dully.

"Then why did you kiss me?" he hissed, getting right up in her face "Why did you kiss me if you feel _nothing_?"

Damon growled down at her, addictive blue eyes shimmering in the light "Do you know what you do to me?"

Elena's gaze flickered over his mouth, caressingly "Damon we can't..." she tapered off in a breathy whisper, the temptation was there, it was always hovering under the surface waiting for moments such as this, when he was close to her. A traitorous heart branding her a liar, lips parted, eyes wide, she was giving him all the wrong signals, or all the right ones, depending on how you look at it and Damon was looking at it from all the right angles.

His mouth slid tentatively over hers the potent flavour of bourbon on his tongue and everything she'd said was catapulted into the stratosphere, until one word split like a lightening bolt through the haze...Stefan.

"Stop!" she gasped and shoved her hands into his chest.

Damon took a few steps back, trying to compose himself, fury and unfulfilled desire rolled in him like the tide.

He could see the panic in her expression and was angry for feeling disappointed; of course it would come to this. Damon gave his head a small shake, concentrating all his attention on his own ragged breathing. When he looked up again, his walls were firmly back where they belonged and on the outside at least, he looked as if nothing had happened.

Her perfect skin glowed faintly with perspiration, lips faintly reddened from his kiss: She'd never looked lovelier, or more certain.

Damon felt like he was waiting for the axe to fall.

She wielded like a pro.

"I will never love you Damon and it will always be Stefan." her voice shook, sounding hollow, unconvincing even in her own ears and she feared that Damon could hear her uncertainty.

She needn't have worried, he had not, hurt flashed across Damon's eyes and he scrubbed a hand roughly across his chest, trying to rub away the phantom pain that had settled there many months ago, ever increasing after every moment such as this.

"We'll just put that kiss down as another mistake..."He laughed harshly"...after all, what's one more to add to the list?"

Elena felt the threatening sting of tears but she forced them down, she felt like a cruel bitch.

The front door clicked and Elena turned quickly away, Damon studied her back with dull lustreless eyes and lounged against the sofa awaiting Stefan's entrance.

He immediately noticed the tension between them and froze in place.

"Elena?" Stefan took a few tentative steps toward her "Is everything alright?"

His gaze slid to Damon, who looked unmoved by Elena's current condition; if Stefan didn't know better he would have thought his brother bored.

"Damon?"

Damon turned lazily to his brother "Elena's just having a small crisis, it's really nothing."

Cold blue eyes swung back on her burning with bitter triumph "It's not even worth your time to hear, right Elena?"

She couldn't look at him.

"Hey Stefan." Her brittle voice betrayed her. She was desperately trying to keep this at arms length but was just about ready to burst into tears.

Damon's face twisted "Yes, it's alright," he cooed "baby brother's here now."

Stefan frowned "What's your problem Damon?"

Damon was unperturbed "I don't have a problem." He looked genuinely surprised, which took Stefan aback.

"Elena," he turned his attention back to her, she seemed a little more in control of herself "come on, I'll make you something to eat, yeah?"

She nodded dumbly.

Stefan spared one last scowl for Damon before he turned from the scene and made his way to the kitchen.

Elena followed her beloved Stefan.

...

Her emotions were spent and she did not relish the thought of Stefan's inevitable questions, he had a right, after all, to find out why his _girlfriend_ was so upset.

Damon…

She remembered the night he'd killed her brother, how he'd kissed her then; his mouth demanding a response, a kiss so hopeless and reckless and ardent. Can you not love me, written over his beautiful face; am I not worthy of love?

Elena hadn't realized she was nurturing that fear, she pushed him to better himself and when he came to her again hoping she would this time see something _worth_ loving, she would push him away.

But she couldn't love him, he had to know that! She was with Stefan, she loved Stefan…

She would not be Katherine. _"Why do you always have to come back to Katherine?"_

Elena visibly flinched at the memory; maybe he was right, so focused on trying not to be Katherine that she even forgot to be herself.

Stefan watched the myriad of emotions play out over her perfect face, so deep in thought she didn't respond to his scrutiny. "So," he said at last, her eyes snapped up, large and doleful. "Are you going to tell me what was going on in there?"

She floundered, unable to come up with a plausible lie, because she sure as hell wasn't going to tell him what was really happening!

What _was_ really happening? Was he losing her? Elena stared at Stefan, suddenly forgetting the question at hand, was she really in love with Damon?

She shook her head, willing her mind to slow, to focus "We were arguing about…Katherine…" He'd buy that right? It was, after all, partly true.

Stefan nodded doubtfully, wanting to push but afraid to know "Oh…I'm guessing it didn't go well?"

Elena grunted "Understatement."

Stefan seemed satisfied and pottered about in the kitchen gathering together a few odds and ends for an omelette, "You know," he said absently over his shoulder "you're not Damon's own personal rehabilitation service, some things just aren't worth the effort."

Elena gaped at her boyfriends back. She understood he was trying to save her pain at Damon's hands, (Although it felt increasingly like she was the one causing the pain) at least she was nearly sure that was Stefan's reasoning but how could he say that!

"Stefan," she cleared her throat "you don't mean that?"

He turned to her looking faintly surprised, "I suppose I don't," he sighed "I just wish you didn't feel it was your own personal mission." He shrugged "That's all."

Elena relaxed "He's not a lost cause…" she felt uncomfortable talking about this with Stefan and hesitated. He'd hit the nail on the head when he mentioned it being personal, she just didn't think he realised how personal it was, _she_ hadn't even realised how personal it was.

Elena sighed, Stefan grimaced "Let's talk about something else."

Elena slumped over the counter as he turned back to the hob, she was miserable with lying and with guilt. She was horrible, she was Katherine…"Stefan?"

"Hmm?"

She had to do this "I need to tell you something." His hands stilled, "What?" he said tightly.

"Damon and I…" oh fuck, she hoped this was the right thing to do "…we kissed."

Stefan looked decidedly paler than usual his whole body locked in place.

"Kissed." He parroted, "Is that why you were... did he… force you?"

God but wouldn't it have been easier if he had, that was the worst part; she had wanted to kiss Damon more than she thought she could want anything in her life.

Elena took a deep breath "No, no that's not why I was crying..."

He nodded very slowly, finally allowing himself to look at her, Elena wished he hadn't, hurt and jealousy burned across his features she didn't flinch, she deserved it.

"Why?" he said simply. She shook her head, struck dumb.

"I don't know."

Stefan looked shaken, "Do you…_love_ him?"

"I don't kno… no, no I don't." Elena's eyes pleaded with Stefan to believe her, because she wasn't sure she could believe herself anymore.

He took a step away, visibly tense and very upset. "I need some time."

Elena gulped down the lump in her throat "Of course."

He disappeared out the back door and Elena finally allowed her tears to fall.

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><p><em>Please review….and thank you to everybody who has already, I love to hear from you.<em>


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**The Vessel with the Pestle **

"You kissed Elena." Stefan said bluntly, no emotion betrayed in his stony voice.

Damon sighed, he supposed it was only a matter of time before she told him; she hated lying, to Stefan at least.

"I kissed Elena." He confirmed just as bluntly. Stefan stiffened.

Damon rolled his eyes "Look," he said "She was a little drunk and a little depressed and I was," he motioned down his body and a cocky smile spread across his face "Well, I was just _me_. A _nun_ couldn't resist. Actually, there was this one time I found myself in a nunnery, don't ask me how I got there,"

"Stop!" Stefan threw up his hand palm out. "I don't want to hear anymore."

Damon grimaced "I started it and she pulled away, Stefan, it was mere seconds really, barely even a kiss at all!" okay so he was playing it down a little… _Okay!_ He was down right lying but it would be better this way, again, for Stefan at least.

Damon was sick of doing the right thing. He was sorely tempted to just spill.

"_She was sober as a judge, and then of course technically Elena kissed me, the first time anyway, oh wait, didn't I mention we kissed twice? … awkward!" _

Who was he kidding, it would only hurt her.

"What about you Damon?" Stefan said softly, "Were you drunk?"

"Yes?" that hadn't come out exactly like he'd planned, oops.

Stefan nodded "I see."

Damon wanted to groan, now was not the time for Stefan to start catching on.

"If you're going to start that whole doubting Elena thing, I'm just going to leave." He stated irritably. Stefan shrugged, looking glum.

"God man, are we related?"

Stefan glared at him, but his retort was half hearted "You'd like that wouldn't you."

It was Damon's turn to shrug "Well it would answer a lot of questions."

Stefan growled, immediately back on subject "That was the_ last_ time you kiss my girlfriend, _do you understand_?"

Vamp face was making a cameo appearance, the dark veins throbbing at Stefan's temples.

Damon could see this taking a bad turn but his brother's choice of words put his back up, reminding him how Elena had rejected him once again.

"You don't tell me what I can and can't do." He chided, all joking aside he settled on his brother a scowl that would put the fear of God into an original!

Stefan's fingers were flexing wanting to throttle him, the only thing holding him back was a small measure of self doubt, was he even strong enough?

"But," Damon continued "if it's what Elena wants," this rankled somewhat "then I'll leave her alone." He sat back against the sofa "Does that satisfy you?"

Stefan was taken aback, his face shifting back to normalcy. He nodded.

Doman pursed his lips "You wanna a drink?"

Stefan blinked "Yes." Damon fired out two generous glasses of whiskey and handed one to his brother. "To Stefan and Elena," he stated sarcastically "the happy couple!"

...

Elena had been waiting for this confrontation so when finally it came she had hoped to be ready, she was not.

"Stefan." She said softly.

He gave her a small awkward smile, seating himself at her windowsill with a faintly taciturn expression on his face.

Elena perched on her bed not entirely sure how to start, so Stefan did.

"I spoke to Damon." He said coolly. "He told me what happened."

Elena tried to prepare herself for the inevitable. "…And?"

Stefan frowned "…And though I wish it hadn't happened, I can't change it."

She remained silent.

"I know Damon is attracted to you." He said stiffly "So I guess I should have expected it was only a matter of time before he took advantage."

Elena kept very still, what had Damon said to him? "He didn't force me, if that's what you're saying." she risked.

Stefan nodded slowly, a look of disappointment on his stern face "But you were drunk."

Elena could no longer meet Stefan's eyes, she was deeply ashamed. Damon had covered for her, he had lied for her.  
>"I should have realised with everything that has happened it would weigh on you," he shook his head "but I don't know what to do." And honestly neither did Elena.<p>

Stefan went quiet and studied her face intently wondering whether he should say what was really bothering him.

"I want to ask you something and I need you to hear me out before you say anything."

Elena nodded slowly "Alright."

Stefan closed his eyes. "Do you love Da…him?"

The million dollar question, the one she'd been asking herself for longer than she cared to admit and now, apparently, her relationship with Stefan depended on answering it correctly.

But the right answer for Stefan was not necessarily the truth.

She'd hesitated too long; she needed an answer and was no closer to knowing it.

"I…"

"Yes or No?" Stefan warned.

It's not that simple she thought sadly. "No." she felt sick, too afraid of what it would mean to say the other.

Stefan sighed audibly. "Then would you stay away from him?"

Elena jerked "What?"

"You said you would hear me out."

She grimaced.

"Just for a few days." He soothed "…please Elena for me. He promised he wouldn't kiss you again…"

"He did?" she blurted.

"…Yes, but I don't trust him_,_" his eyes glazed slightly "so I think it would be better for_ us_ for our relationship if you kept your distance."

"Better for you, you mean?"

He sighed tersely "Yes, better for me."

"He's my friend Stefan, I can't just ignore him!"

Stefan reached out and took her hands "Please Elena. It's only for a few days."

She owed him this in the least "Okay."

He smiled faintly and leant across to kiss her. Elena resisted the urge to pull away, he tasted like bourbon, he tasted like Damon.

...

Stefan was drunk.

He figured everyone else seemed to be doing it so why not him too?

After talking with Elena he had gone straight to the grill and tried to consume the entire contents of the bar in one sitting. He was upset and if Elena wanted to kiss his brother then Stefan wanted to see what all the fuss was about; he wanted to be Damon for that night…. She had kissed his brother, kissed Damon of all people!

He couldn't deny Damon had feelings for her, whether those feelings were love he didn't want to contemplate and he would admit that he could see Elena was attracted to him but he never thought she would kiss him.

Stefan hung his head.

"What's wrong Stefan, why so glum?"

Stefan swivelled his head and concentrated on Katherine: Smokey eyes and red blushing lips, long brown curls cascading over the swell of her breast, Elena's face turned temptress.

"Am I glum?" he mumbled.

She smiled "and drunk." She seated herself beside him and hooked one black jean clad leg over the other, leather boots brushing up and down over his shin.

"So, are you going to buy me a drink?"

Stefan waved the barman down "Two vodka's."

The man eyed him doubtfully but Katherine stepped in "Just give us our drinks." She compelled.

"If I know you," she simpered "and I like to think that I do. I'd say you're upset about something, _very_ upset." It wasn't like Stefan to go to the booze; that was more Damon's style.

"I don't want to talk to you Katherine."

"Sure you do."

Gales of laughter and the sounds of merriment intruded on Stefan's depression. A group of teenage girls talked animatedly, giggling amongst themselves, one in particular caught his eye, long light brown hair swept back over her shoulders like a shawl and a cute heart shaped face, she reminded him a little of Elena.

Katherine eyed him curiously, "I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and say the lovely Elena has something to do with your mood."

Stefan dragged his eyes from the girl but said nothing, so Katherine continued "Was she a _bad_ girl? She caressed the small shot glass with soft fingers, painted red nails glinting in the light. "Did she sleep with Damon?" Her hands migrated from the glass and slid over Stefan's arm, he flinched from her soft touch. "Who am I kidding…" she teased maliciously "no one sleeps when Damon's in the bed…" Stefan grew very pale, the glass in his hands crushed to sharp glittering splinters, cutting ribbons in his hand. "Can you imagine…"

"Stop!" He growled "Leave me alone Katherine."

"Is this how you're going to deal with Elena's indiscretion…" she tutted "it's a little pathetic don't you think?"

She slid her own glass across to him as he brushed the broken shards from his hand. "Shouldn't you punish her," she continued blithely "she hurt you it's only fair to retaliate…"

"She didn't sleep with him," he seethed "alright!"

Katherine adjusted her jacket carefully "She's done something with him; otherwise you wouldn't be so wound up." She tapped a long finger on her rouged lips "A kiss." She smiled sweetly. "So kiss me and you're even."

Stefan grimaced but was less appalled by the idea than he should have been.

"So kiss her then…" Katherine motioned toward the mousey haired girl that had caught his eye only moments before "Less emotional baggage that way."

Stefan finished the drink, it tasted bitter all the way down. Katherine watched with a spreading smile of satisfaction.

"Get away from ...me." He tried to speak, but his tongue felt thick and dry...

Katherine shrugged ignoring his apparent discomfort. "Some last words of advice," she grasped his chin in stiff strong fingers digging her nails in to his skin "It's better to get even than get trampled like a pussy."

She ordered another drink for him and left with one last lingering backward glance.

Stefan couldn't stop the image of Damon and Elena sleeping together from invading his thoughts. He wanted to be understanding, to forgive her but anger and bitter resentment polluted his better judgement. Stefan realised he wanted to hurt someone, particularly Damon. He'd had his chance but had not taken it and now sitting here seething with impotent rage Stefan wished fervently that he had beat his brother into the dust.

A small voice sniggered from the back of his mind; Damon would have proven a difficult opponent and the likelihood that Stefan could win was in his estimation 60/40, especially considering his chosen diet.

…and then there was Elena, her betrayal stung.

Stefan finished another drink, he hadn't been drunk since he was human and had often wondered how vampires could become inebriated.

Damon did it often enough and Stefan certainly wasn't in possession of the same level alcohol of tolerance but this just didn't feel right.

He watched with bleary eyes as the group of girls broke apart for the night, hugging and laughing and saying their goodbyes. The girl with the mousy brown hair smiled at him as she walked by, Stefan blinked finding it difficult to focus. He rose unsteadily and followed her; Katherine's last words whispered…

...

Damon had flown the house the minute his brother had left to see Elena; he needed a drink and a woman or two...

He made his way to a bar just outside town, busy enough, thumping music, gorgeous women. He rolled his shoulders, just what he needed.

An absolute stunner with black hair and black eyes sent a look his way, she'd do nicely.

He slid onto a stool beside her and leaned in.

"Do you believe in love at first sight, or do I have to walk by again?" He gave her that smile, his tone playfully admonishing, it was over the top and dreadfully clichéd, but she ate it up.

She turned her head away to hide a grin, her eyes glittering with amusement when she looked back "Actually I don't." she smiled. Damon sighed "Okay, just give me a minute…" he moved to get up but she laughed and touched his arm to stop him "Wait, wait," she giggled "Before you go, buy me a drink."

Damon grinned "Yes ma'am."

He ordered his usual and something for the lady. "I'm Damon."

She appraised him over the rim of her glass, his eyes never leaving hers, "My god, you are hot Damon."

He nodded sagely "This, I know."

She quirked an eyebrow "I'm Hanna." She said finally.

Hanna was a bit of a fox, sharp features, sharp wit and a body that was all curves. She seemed of the same mind as him and by the end of the night Damon had her pinned against the wall in an alley not far from his car.

Arms upraised, Hanna gripped the drain above her head with both hands supporting her weight. Damon held her hips and was locked firmly in place between her legs wrapped like iron bands around his waist. He pounded into her as hard as he dared and she threw her head back, mouth agape in rapturous exhale.

Damon tilted her hips up a little deepening his penetration and her fingers fell limp. They slid down the wall until he was on his knees, Hanna was in pieces in his arms completely undone and with one final powerful thrust she bit into the leather of his jacket and screamed.

He knelt there for a few minutes, allowing the young woman to collect herself; he was still inside her and was enjoying the sensation of her shuddering around him.

He looked into her eyes, brushing long black hair from her face.

"This won't hurt." He whispered, compulsion working its magic, "Don't be afraid, you'll like it." His fangs extended and he bit, feeling himself hardening he resisted the urge to have her again and drank greedily: Drawing back at the last.

He pulled out and she groaned. "I don't think I can stand!" she laughed breathlessly. Damon slid his arms around her waist and lifted her to her feet.

"I think maybe I do believe in love at first sight." She murmured in his ear and stuck her tongue in for good measure, Damon shivered.

"If you keep on like that," he slid his hand down between her legs; still wet and swollen after his departure "I may have to…" Damon pushed her back against the wall and fell down on his knees lifting her skirt.

"Oh my god!" she squealed with delight.

"Please, just call me Damon." He said.

Just he was about to…_get to_…his phone rang, the girl and Damon groaned in unison...he should ignore the call...it could be important...

"Excuse me for a minute sweetheart…" Damon fished the phone out, it was Stefan…of course it was Stefan: the timing was impeccable.

"It's late Stefan; I'm kind of in the middle of something here…."

…suddenly Hanna was forgotten, Damon's jaw hit the deck.

"Where are you?"

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><p>Please Review...<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Old Habits die hard**

Stefan stared at the lifeless body.

He'd just wanted a taste, just a taste.

Her hair spread like a halo around her head, mousey brown and tangled framing her vacant face: Pallid and accusing features frozen in the terror of her last moments.

Stefan could have screamed. He'd killed her!

Panic rose like the tide and he did the only thing he could think of.

Wrestling his phone from the pocket of his jeans with numb fumbling fingers Stefan called his brother.

"Damon…"

"_It's late Stefan; I'm kind of in the middle of something here…."_

"Damon…I…killed a girl."

Damon was quiet for a long time on the other end.

"_Where are you?"_

"Near the grill, somewhere…"

Damon hung up and Stefan leaned against the alley wall, horrified and unable to tear his gaze from her corpse. Time seemed to draw out longer now than it had ever felt in his entire existence.

Oh god, what had he done…Elena would hate him.

Stefan cried.

...

Damon found him bawling like a child over the body of a young teenage girl. Her throat was bruised and awkwardly perforated, like Stefan had bitten and stopped repeatedly: Had he just wanted a small drop she would have died from the wound regardless.

Damon didn't bother chastising him; Stefan was likely doing a good enough job for them both.

He turned her head and studied the young face, pretty, plucked from before her prime. He laughed harshly; Stefan flinched from the sound, pressing himself harder against the rough brick wall.

"Go home Stefan, I'll deal with this."

"..but…" Stefan reached out to the girl but Damon bated his hand away cruelly.

He was falling apart; it had been a long time since Stefan had had to face the reality of murder. Damon could see he wasn't handling it well, not handling it at all actually.

He grabbed Stefan's arms and hauled him round, levelling those blue eyes on him.

Damon could fix this.

"I did this," he said slowly "I drained her, I killed her."

It was a simple enough paradigm, one he fitted well, one he new inside and out. Damon was the bad guy and Stefan was the good guy… that's how it was, that's the way it was _meant_ to be. If he could convince Stefan, impressionable as he was at this moment it would be easy to believe, easy to keep up the pretence.

Stefan shook his head but Damon was insistent "Say it Stefan, repeat it!"

He whimpered "Elena will despise me…I deserve…I deserve to die."

Damon grabbed his lapels and lifted him from the ground, smashing his shoulders against the wall as hard as he could, Stefan's head bounced; he cringed, a bloodied smear painting the brick work behind. Damon needed to knock some sense into him, drunk and babbling as he was.

"Say it." He enunciated, fangs elongating in the heat of the moment.

"She'll never forgive me Damon!"

Damon closed his eyes and lowered his brother's feet to the ground "She doesn't have to know." He grasped Stefan's head in his hands, forcing their eyes to meet "Now say it."

Stefan stared, transfixed, the want for what his brother was saying overwhelming his fragile senses, it was almost like compulsion, Damon's will imposed upon his own.

"You did this," Stefan sobbed "You drained her, you killed her."

He nodded finally satisfied "Good. Now go home."

Stefan fled and Damon set about hiding the body.

...

He didn't know what was wrong with him, it was like he'd blacked out and the next thing he knew…

He'd just felt so thirsty, so angry…

Though his memory was sketchy on the details, some were burned into his eyes, livid red against the washed out black light of closing dusk. Stefan shook his head trying desperately to dislodge the unwanted thoughts, those of a much darker ilk than he had had to face in years: He'd murdered a 16 year old girl, he was a monster. The life he had left behind so long ago came rushing back, guilt and self loathing rife within. The knowledge that Elena would despise him, hate him…Stefan couldn't bear it. Death was preferable to her hatred.

Yet Damon was offering him a way out, Stefan found himself muttering the words his brother had drilled into him: Almost able to fool himself into believing it.

Damon had kissed Elena, Damon owed it to him to take the blame for this…Damon drained her, Damon killed her.

When he returned home, Stefan hunted amongst Damon's endless supply of alcohol and pulled out what he was looking for.

He stared at the smooth wooden stake, turning it over and over in his hand. He drunkenly considered ramming it in his own chest but before Stefan was able to give this serious thought Damon swatted the stake from his hand and cuffed him up the side of the head.

"Get a grip!" he growled "One dead girl isn't the end of the world…" irritably muttering under his breath "I should know."

Stefan glowered balefully at him, his usually solemn face now fit for a funeral.

"You've killed people before," Damon reasoned, _indiscriminately_ he added silently, "Just bury it down along with your guilt for them."

"Are you saying I should use the switch?"

"You can try all you want," he smirked "there isn't one."

"What? But…"

"Well, there _was_ but not anymore, we're too _old_." Damon poured himself a glass of bourbon, considering doing the same for his brother, but one look at those bleary bloodshot eyes said Stefan had had enough "Which," he continued "in my opinion, is age discrimination."

"No switch?" Stefan murmured.

"No switch," Damon nodded "no nothing."

Stefan frowned at him, Damon shrugged. "Oh yes and _no suicide_." He pointed at the stake lying on the floor. "You understand me?"

"Why did you have to kiss her?" Stefan said sullenly, staring at the splint of wood… he wouldn't have done it anyway.

Damon sighed heavily, why did she kiss him was what he wanted to know. He reminded himself of his confession, of the things he'd said and resolved at least to _try_ and act unselfishly.

"Cause I'm a bit of a bastard, even at the best of times Stefan. I thought you knew this already."

Stefan scrubbed his hands over his face, Damon felt sorry for him. Perhaps they weren't so different after all.

"Go to bed Stef, you look like shit."

Stefan obeyed silently and Damon watched him go.

He had forced Stefan to this; it was time to hold himself accountable. Damon tutted in exasperation, was this how it worked being the big brother? He wasn't sure he remembered. All Damon knew was this was an uncomfortable kind of role reversal: Damon was being the boring sensible one and Stefan was the reckless rebel.

That thought didn't sit well at all. Damon seated himself where his brother had been only moments before and slumped back. What did it matter if Elena hated him anyway…she certainly didn't love him, that was for sure.

...

It was dull and unpleasantly humid when Elena arrived at the Salvatore residence. She was on her lunch break and had skipped out of school in order to get a chance to talk to Damon alone. Stefan had told her to stay away and she would, she just wanted to make sure Damon was apprised of the situation, that's all…not because she wanted to see him and definitely not because she missed him even just a little…

Elena knocked the door to the boarding house for the first time in a long time. It felt awkward but she was trying to make a point here.

Damon took his time to answer and damn if he wasn't doing it on purpose!

Finally it swung in and he looked her up and down like she'd grown a new head.

"Who are you and what have you done with Elena Gilbert?" he said.

"Ha Ha." Was her answer as she forgot her point and barged on in without invitation.

Damon followed her to the main room and poured himself a glass of bourbon, all with an enhanced lazy swagger, she'd come to tell him something he wasn't going to like hearing, as usual, so he wanted to be as irritating as possible as a sort pre-emptive strike.

Elena had remembered herself and was standing undecided by the sofa, sit or stand?

Stand.

Damon cocked his head, swirling the liquor in his hand, "So?" he prompted.

"I'm not allowed to see you for a while." She answered.

"So you just had to come straight over?" He drawled and took a deep draught of whiskey.

"I thought I should tell you before…"

"…Cutting me out of your life?"

Elena squirmed "That's a bit dramatic."

"So is being forbidden from seeing me."

He had a point.

"He just needs some time."

"How much time?"

"I don't really know," she shrugged "a few days…"

"Why don't you go away for those _few days_? Then _I_ don't have to see _either of you_. Win, win!"

Elena rolled her eyes; she didn't want this to turn into their usual bickering match. She took a deep breath, the real reason for her visit hovered in her mind, the curiosity was killing her.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?"

He smirked "You've _forgotten_ again?"

Elena scowled; Damon grew serious "The same reason you didn't, because you love _him_, or so you keep telling me." he muttered dryly.

Damon could just imagine what would have happened had Stefan known the truth. Hell…who knew he had it in him? Damon was going to have to think of another nick name…_Saint _didn't really cut it anymore. Damon studied Elena's face as she processed what he'd said, she looked surprised: he couldn't really blame her.

"He said you told him you wouldn't kiss me again." She was afraid to meet his eyes "Is that true?"

Damon moved toward her with predatory grace and her most immediate urge was to back up, to keep their distance static. Elena locked her knees; best not to show any signs of weakness.

"Does that upset you?" his voice was soft.

"No," she answered too quickly, eager not to give the wrong impression "I just…"

"I said I wouldn't do anything you didn't want me to; I didn't mention _kissing_ specifically…"

Elena stared at him, it made sense that Stefan might leave that part out.

"Do you want me to kiss you Elena?" he teased, handing her the drink, she took it from habit.

"I…"

"Yes or No?"

"It's not as simple as that." She said it this time, struck by the mirroring moment.

"Sometimes it is."

Sometimes_,_ she thought, though she just didn't want it to be. Elena drank deeply from the glass and handed it back to him "I have to go."

Damon turned it and drank from the side her lips had touched.

Elena was transfixed.

"See you in a few days." He said smiling.

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><p><em>Please Review...I'd like to hear what you think...I'm actually pretty nervous about reactions.<em>


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**The Monster**

Damon didn't want to be here anymore, he was fast approaching the point where he couldn't stand the sight of his brother with Elena, as if he hadn't already surpassed it long ago, at least now he was admitting it to himself.

So what was keeping him, the hope that she would change her mind?

He nearly laughed but stopped himself because, being honest, that was exactly what he hoped.

When did he get so lame? He lamented the days when he just couldn't give a rat's ass about anything or anyone, well, almost.

Caroline waltzed in at that moment "Have you seen Stefan?" she asked.

He wondered briefly what it must be like to be in such demand all the time…annoying he concluded. "No."

She whipped out her phone and started texting.

"Something wrong?" curiosity peeked.

"No."

He saw her swallow thickly, trying a little too hard to be nonchalant. "You wouldn't be lying to me right now would you?"

She didn't look up from her phone "No."

She answered just a hair too quickly, Damon shook his head, she was easier to read than a children's book!

He was beginning to consider threatening her when she shoved her mobile in her pocket looked him directly in the eyes and said "So, you kissed Elena?"

Damon hadn't been expecting that "Does everyone know?"

"Everyone who should." She countered.

"I fail to see how that includes you."

She rolled her eyes and sat down beside him. "I'm her friend, I should know these things."

Damon grunted. He sincerely hoped she wasn't going for a heart to heart here.

He wondered which version, Caroline had heard, Stefan's or Elena's?

"Elena told you?" he was fishing, she nodded. "So what you really should have said to start this whole conversation off was… So, _Elena_ kissed _you_."

Caroline tossed her hair "You're such a huge dick." She muttered. He smiled.

"_No_, what you should have said is, I _have_ a hu…"

"Alright!" she interrupted, "So Elena kissed you?"

He sighed "What of it?"

She shrugged "Why?"

He gave her a cocky grin, as if to say are you looking at this face and she rolled her eyes again "Other than that."

"She wanted to." He said simply and took a long drink of whisky.

"Why did she want to, she's with Stefan?"

"Yes." He hissed, dragging the word out "I know."

"But…."

Damon slammed his drink down, "Elena told you, yes?"

"Yes."  
>"Then maybe you should have asked her why. Now stop bugging me, go run along and do whatever secretive stuff you were doing before."<p>

"It's not secretive stuff; it's just none of your business." She griped but Caroline was under no illusions about Damon's temper, so she hopped up off her seat, readjusted her scarf and strode away.

Elena _had_ told her why, sort of, but she wanted to hear his thoughts on the whole mess.

Damon certainly wasn't her favourite person in the world.

She shrugged, it never hurt to try. The veracious need to have all the gossip had only increased since she turned. That and she needed to get him off the scent…Matt was very angry at her and she had maybe let one or two things slip that she really, really shouldn't. She hoped he didn't do anything rash.

...

It was a bright beautiful Saturday morning when Elena heard the news report. She was sitting on the sofa, lingering over a strong cup of coffee and Jenna was busy cleaning up breakfast in the kitchen. Saturdays were Pancake Day; Elena loved pancakes and was preoccupied by the enduring smell when the words, _Mauled by an animal_, caught her attention.

Suddenly all focus was on the TV.

The local police had found the body of a young woman in her teens, identified as Anne Marie Bradshaw who had gone missing a week ago; she was a student at the same school Elena went to, only a year below her in fact. She recognised her face immediately.

Was this a Were-wolf attack, another Vampire in town? She should call Stefan, he might know and if not then at least she could give him a heads up.

Elena shot out the door, phoning Stefan as she went.

When he picked up, Elena didn't bother with preamble, she just launched right in "Did you see the news report? I think there might be another vampire in town, or a were-wolf…I don't really know…"

There was silence.

"Hello, Stefan are you listening?" Still no answer.

Was this thing working, Elena gave the handset a shake.

"Hello, Stefan?"

_I've seen the news report…"_ He answered finally. _"…and I know exactly who did it."_

"Really? Who?"

_"I did…"_ there was the sound of a scuffle on the other end and Elena could have sworn she heard Damon of all people swearing down the phone.

The line went dead; she gaped at the hand set. What the hell was going on?

Did Stefan just say what she thought he said?

...

Damon had come upon the conversation a second too late, the saint was on the verge of spilling his guts but the situation was still, in his opinion, salvageable. Damon now had Stefan's mobile firmly in his possession.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Stefan seethed.

"What did I do that for? We've been through this you fucking moron."

"I can't lie to her." Stefan growled "Even if she hates me I can't…"

Damon rolled his eyes "This is all my fault." He muttered.

"Huh?" Stefan blinked.

"I should have hidden the body better." Damon berated himself silently, what could he say? He was out of practise.

"Give me the phone." Stefan held out his hand.

Damon shook his head "Repeat it."

"No."

"Say it Stefan, or so help me this phone is going in the fire!"

Stefan crossed his arms, "I'll wait for her to come."

Damon rolled his shoulders "So when Elena arrives what are you going to tell her?" he poured himself a drink "Elena I brutally murdered a 16 year old girl, I dragged her into an alley as she finished a night out with her friends and I drained her until there was nothing left, until she was a husk."

Stefan sank onto the sofa, grasping his head in his hands.

Damon watched dispassionately, he knew something of what Stefan was going through but unlike Stefan, Damon was better at hiding the pain, better at living on through the guilt.

"How do you think she's going to look at you Stefan?" Damon continued relentless "Do you remember the look on her face the night I killed her brother? Can you handle that? Can you live with her hate?"

"Stop it Damon, Stop!"

"This is what you wanted Stefan, do you think just because you want it to stop that it will? After you tell her, there's no going back."

Stefan's shoulders shook.

The night Damon told Elena that he didn't deserve her but his brother did, he had meant it, he had believed it and he wanted Stefan to be everything for Elena that he couldn't be. The better man she craved.

Elena would never love him after all, but she loved Stefan, so Damon aimed to keep it that way.

Damon would become his brothers self anointed sin eater. Just one more black mark on the pitch coloured canvas of his life.

He handed the drink over to Stefan; he looked like he needed it more anyway and helped him to his feet.

"Say it."

"You did this," Stefan said softly "You drained her, you killed her."

Maybe if he said it enough, he would begin to believe it.

Damon patted his back "When Elena comes, I'll talk to her."

Stefan nodded.

As he watched Stefan climb the stairs to his room it finally hit him.

Stefan had left him with no choice, Damon had hoped to let Elena assume this was the work of some outside force but Stefan just had to try and do the right thing.

Damon was going to have to take the fall and all that he described to Stefan in such painful detail would be his lot.

...

Elena arrived at the boarding house in record time, Stefan's words echoing in her head. He couldn't have been serious…

"Stefan?" she called timorously, glancing about the empty room.

"Nope."

Elena leapt in the air, nerves shot.

Damon flashed a half smile "Relax Elena." His voice was smooth and calming and though Elena would love nothing more than to do just that, she could not.

"I can't relax," she bit "Stefan was..."

"Babbling?" Damon offered.

Elena puffed out her cheeks, she could only hope so. "Did you hear about what happened to Anne Marie Bradshaw?"

"So that was her name." he mused.

"Excuse me?" Elena hesitated.

Damon shrugged and moved away to pour himself another drink, he was going to need it. Elena watched him carefully "Do you know anything about why Stefan might claim he killed this girl?"

Damon mulled over the drink and his answer, he took a long draught and a deep breath "Stefan was covering for me." He said simply.

Elena's dark eyes flared wide. "What?" she struggled to catch her breath, this couldn't be.

Damon dead panned her. "I killed her, it was me."

It was as if someone had gut punched her, Elena's mouth working in silent denial. He was joking, this was some ridiculous messed up form of Damon humour.

"I don't believe it." She baulked.

Damon's eyes hardened to flint "Believe it."

"No…you've changed, you're not a monster."

"If you couldn't face it before you should have just left me alone: Less painful for both of us that way."

"You're better than this." She whispered. Her eyes shone bitter with tears. "You're better than this!" she repeated, her voice hardening.

Damon dragged his hands through his hair in utter frustration, he couldn't bear to see her cry, it was killing him.

"Shut up Elena!" he shouted, she flinched. "I'm not better than this, people are food. That is the extent of my interest."

Elena threw her hands into his chest, "What about me?" she yelled, hot tears making trails down her reddened cheeks. "You care about me, you love me!"

Damon's mouth tightened "You don't believe I could kill her, but you believe that?" he sneered.

"I can see it!" She insisted.

"You see what you want to see."

"No…" she gripped his shirt in her fists, searching his face with wide bright beautiful eyes. "No!"

Damon pushed her away, finished his drink and set the empty glass back on the side board: continuing to explain in an inappropriately conversational tone.

"I'm not going to change the habit of a life time just because I like you. You overestimate your importance to me."

She stared at him as though she'd never seen his like, visions of Jeremy dropping limp to the ground at her feet, spinning and repeating, the sickening snap still loud in her ears.

"Is this because of the kiss?" she whispered "Because I rejected you?"

"Contrary to popular belief, not_ everything_ is about you kitten."

"Then why?"

"I was hungry."

His answer hit her solid between the eyes.

"You killed her because… you were _hungry_?"

He shrugged.

"You son of a bitch!" She swung for him but he grabbed her arm and shoved, Elena went sprawling onto the sofa.

"What do you want from me?" he growled down at her menacingly "I'm a _Vampire_, I kill people. It's what I do, I _am_ a monster!" Damon glared, eyes alight.

Elena swung back and forth from rage to denial, he was so close, he couldn't have gone back to the way it was before: he had changed, Damon had changed! She had believed it.

Damon took a deep breath, why was she making this so hard?

"I tore out her pretty little throat," he said tonelessly "just as easily as I snapped your brother's neck. She screamed and begged and I didn't stop. I loved every minute of it."

Elena trembled her face was ashen; "I hate you." She hissed.

"Now we understand each other." Damon said softly.

Elena ran from him and Damon watched her go.

He stood there for a long time staring at the door. His chest felt empty, what remained of his soul pawned for the happiness of his brother, for her.

Damon knew he should have went about this _confession_ from a whole other angle but for whatever reason Jessica just popped into his head and suddenly he was trying to defend what he had truly done, it had stopped being a cover story and had become a desperate attempt to justify an unjustifiable act.

Jessica. Why her death should have affected him more than the many others was simple, Elena. She had robbed him of his only defence, apathy. She wanted him to care so he'd let the barrier down and now he was awash with guilt and hurt and self loathing.

He was almost as pathetic as Stefan…not quite though.

Maybe taking this one on the chin for Stefan would help dull the edge, it would be like finally publically shouldering the guilt...He snorted a laugh and shook his head roughly. So this was being the better man? Well, he didn't fucking like it, not one bit…it was just so… disquieting. Uh, he hated _emotional turmoil_.

Damon walked up to his brother's room and found him lying supine upon the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"You heard?" he asked.

Stefan nodded.

"Then it's done." He turned to leave.

"Damon?"

"Yes?"

"Why?"

"Like you said, history will not be repeating itself, so what does it matter that she hates me, she's one of many."

Stefan sat up "But you are friends."

_Were_, Damon corrected silently "Elena is happy with you Stefan, god knows why! I'm not going to let a single act of monumental stupidity on your part ruin that for her. Reason enough?"

"Reason enough." He repeated softly, he had the decency to look ashamed at least.

Damon nodded, "Good. Get yourself together, she'll call soon."

Stefan's phone rang on queue; Damon tossed it over and left.

...

Elena fled as far and as fast as she was able. She just got in her car and drove.

She didn't know to where but anywhere was better than here. It felt like Damon had killed Jeremy all over again.

But he was different. He cared...he loved. Blinded by tears Elena pulled over to the side of the road.

Damon had looked at her so strangely, his words demanding she believe he was guilty, his eyes begging her to look further: Building up his walls until she was staring at a facade.

How could he kill her?

Rip away that young girl's life before it had even begun!

Was that what humans were to Damon, to Vampires?

Elena sobbed for the girl, for herself and for what she had lost with Damon. Though she wasn't sure what it was they had but she knew what it felt like. Someone had ripped a hole in her chest and she was bleeding out, unable to stem the flow. Regardless of what Damon may have said, she felt responsible. Teasing and playing with his emotions, she knew he was volatile but for whatever reason she had thought or hoped that he had abandoned the worst of his nature. Elena knew Damon would never be _tame _as such, but she had believed…

She scrabbled for her phone, where was Stefan, why wasn't he at the boarding house, why wasn't he here when she needed him?

"Stefan?"

_"Yeah Elena, I'm here."_

"He murdered that girl!" She sobbed.

Stefan sighed _"I know."_ He said softly. _"Where are you?"_

Elena paused and glanced about bleary eyed "Not sure." She mumbled.

_"Can I see you?"_

"I'm not going back there!"

_"No, I know that, go home. I'll meet you there. Okay?"_

Elena rested her head on the steering wheel "Okay."

He hung up, she threw the phone down. Elena started the car again and made her way home.

...

Stefan was sitting in her room by the window, forearms resting on his knees and for a split second Elena could have sworn he was Damon. Her heart raced, it was ridiculous they didn't even look anything alike.

Stefan stood and she rushed to his arms.

"It's alright." He soothed.

"It's not alright." Elena pulled away "You should have heard the things he said. He wasn't even sorry!" Her hands fisted in his t-shirt, "After everything that's happened, how could he go back to that…how could he…?"

Stefan looked deeply saddened "It's what we are."

Elena was surprised; Stefan was always the first to extol the ability to overcome their nature. "But Stefan, that's not what you are!"

Why couldn't Damon be more like Stefan, why did he have to hurt everything he touched?

Elena stared into nothing. "I thought..."

"We're monsters."

"What's gotten into you? _You_ are not a monster, but Damon…" she didn't believe it, anger built, she said it anyway "Damon is the monster."

* * *

><p>Please Review...<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

_I wanted to throttle Stefan in this week's episode, he's such a sanctimonious tosser!_

_uh...anyway, on with the story..._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Pluto and Charon**

Elena sat in Science class learning about the planets or at least affecting the air of learning.

She honestly didn't care.

Her mind was preoccupied with Damon…no change there then.

"Pluto is the only planet to rotate synchronously with the orbit of its largest satellite." The teacher gesticulated enthusiastically "This means that they are tidally locked so that the two present the same face to each other as they travel through space."

Today's specified topics were the aforementioned Pluto and its moon Charon: Cold and distant most from the sun, orbiting each other, locked together in a cosmic dance, the laws of physics forcing them together and keeping them apart.

Elena was inclined to make comparisons to her relationship with Damon: Endlessly circling, forced together by attraction, kept apart by her uncertainty, kept apart by all that he had done.

Although in the mind set she was at now, Elena was liable to make comparison to almost anything.

After class ended Elena hung around her locker waiting for Bonnie. Stefan had gone ahead, she guessed, to check up on Damon. Making sure he didn't kill anyone else no doubt.

"Hey!"

Elena turned at the sound of Bonnie's voice

"Hi." She managed to sound convincingly enthusiastic.

"Can I bum a ride over to Stefan's with you?" she asked. Elena hesitated.

"Sure."

They made their way to the car. "How are you feeling?"

Bonnie smiled "Good," she stretched "It's a relief to have my powers back, you know?"

Elena nodded "I'm glad."

They passed a small memorial wreath, propped beside the school sign, a blown up picture of Anne Marie Bradshaw in the middle. It was surrounded by cards and notes of remembrance and condolence: Elena wished she had brought something for her.

"They say it was an animal attack…sound familiar?" Bonnie said grimly "You don't think vampires did it, do you?"

Elena froze "Uh…I don't know, maybe." She _could _tell her but it was probably best not to invite trouble. Bonnie was liable to take it thick, like it was a personal affront.

Bonnie twisted her mouth pensively "Maybe we can ask Stefan, see if anyone new has arrived in town."

Elena shrank into herself: take her mind of it, talk about something else, anything else...Wait...Why should she shield him after what he'd done? So what if Bonnie hurt him, good riddance…right…

Elena sighed "Are you going to try and find where the witches were burned?"

She nodded "Damon says he knows where," she muttered dubiously "so I guess we're teaming up."

Elena cringed, oh god!

...

She drove as slowly as she could, Elena was in no rush to get their but eventually the boarding house crept into view.

Stefan and Damon were talking in the main room when they walked in.

"Ladies!" Damon said with his signature smirk "Here for our little excursion?"

Bonnie sniffed haughtily at him; it rolled off him like water off a ducks back.

"Stefan." She addressed the younger sibling tartly "I was wondering whether there were any new vampires in town?"

Stefan frowned thoughtfully "Katherine, maybe, since she's free from the tomb. Why?"

"Do you think she may have been responsible for Anne Marie's death?"

Elena could have sworn Stefan grew a shade paler, his eyes shot to Damon and back almost too fast to register.

Damon rolled his eyes wearily, could Stefan be anymore obvious. Why not point and scream, he may as well have.

Bonnie caught Stefan's glance and drew her conclusions.

"_You_ are responsible for this?" Bonnie hissed.

Damon prepared himself for what he knew was coming.

"She was delicious." He goaded, the pain struck instantly and Damon was brought to his knees, clutching his head as searing burning agony flared and stabbed through his brain, baking his eyes to charcoal. He clenched his jaw until it ached desperate not to give that little bitch the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

Elena watched dispassionately at first as he rolled to the ground, Stefan shouted and ran to his brother's side but there was no point, Bonnie wouldn't listen to either of them now.

Bonnie, self proclaimed protector of the people from all supernatural forces, especially vampires: Any and all means necessary to blame and justify extreme action on Damon whether directly guilty, indirectly or not at all.

"Bonnie, stop!" Elena put a hand to her friends shoulder, she didn't move. "Bonnie…" Elena's eyes froze on Damon as he curled into the foetal position, jaw muscles rippling from effort. "That's enough Bonnie, Stop!"

"STOP!" Elena slapped her flush across the face. Bonnie yelped, her hand flying to her reddened cheek.

"Elena?" she gasped utterly shocked.

Slow dissipating fear left Elena panting and ragged, fuelling her increasing anger. "If you think you have the right to kill just because you can, then you're no better than he is!"

Bonnie stared at her. "But he killed that girl, he's a monster!" she strangled.

"Caroline killed that boy you liked." Elena said flatly "I didn't see you punishing her."

Bonnie floundered. "That was Damon's fault!"

"Damon's fault? That's tenuous. You may as well blame me for that one, it's my fault Katherine is here, it's my fault she killed Caroline. All of it, all of it is my fault." Bonnie backed away as Elena stared her down.

Stefan took a step forward; he'd had enough of people taking the blame for him. Damon hauled himself to his feet and clamped a hand over Stefan's forearm, grinding the bones together between his vice like fingers.

"_Don't breathe a word_." He whispered hoarsely.

Stefan grimaced and pulled his arm from Damon's grasp and remained silent.

"Please, girls don't fight over me!" he smirked and ambled over to the drinks cabinet like nothing had happened. He poured a healthy glass of bourbon and meandered back to Elena.

"I think," He said very slowly "you should go home now Bonnie."

Bonnie spared him one last death glare before whirling around and fleeing the house. When that girl had outlived her usefulness he was definitely going to rain down some hellish retribution.

"Drink?" Damon offered.

Elena batted it out of his hand, sending the glass skittering in pieces across the floor.

Blood spilled from her palm, "Don't come near me." She snapped, cradling her injured hand to her chest.

Stefan turned away, ashamed of himself but unable to face it.

Damon could sense his brother's discomfort, he grabbed her arm, she struggled.

"Stop it!" she shouted "Let go of me!" tears were falling again, Damon ignored them.

He brought his mouth to the wound and pulled the glass out with his teeth, sucking in the blood and slivers of glass and spitting them on the floor.

Elena hissed through her teeth as he bit a hole in his wrist and bought it to her mouth. "Drink." He ordered.

"No." she growled. Damon shrugged and smeared his wrist over her palm mingling their blood. Elena ceased her struggling and stared down at her hand: she could feel the flesh knitting back together, the pain diminished and she knew her damaged hand would be unmarked when he withdrew, but she held on for a second longer.

"You know what makes it worse..." She whispered to him.

"What?" he murmured.

Elena's fingers curled around his wrist, her thumb stroking over his warm bloodied skin "You're _not_ a monster."

A back handed compliment yet Damon couldn't help but stare. He brought her hand to his mouth, surprising her too and softly kissed her palm.

Elena swallowed thickly, "Do you think Bonnie will forgive me?" her gaze was inextricably drawn to his mouth staring despite herself as those lips formed words; the faintest stain of blood, her blood reddened his lips.

"You just wounded her pride, she'll come round."

She wrestled her focus to his eyes; they asked the same question of her.

Elena backed away and Damon let her, she hadn't forgiven him yet regardless. Stefan finally came to her side; Damon quelled the stab of envy as he slid his arm over her slender shoulders. He'd chosen this; he had to live with it.

"I think you might have to take Bonnie to the witch's site, I can't see her accompanying _me _after _this_." Damon turned from the couple and poured himself another drink, eyeing the shattered glass "I'll admit I don't feel like taking her anyway...turn my back for a second and I'm toast."

Stefan nodded, "Sure, no problem."

"I can show you on a map." Damon muttered. He looked between them and shrugged uncomfortably, "I'll leave you to it."

As he turned to leave, Stefan caught his arm. Damon frowned down at his hand and raised a questioning brow.

"I'm sorry." Stefan said softly.

Blue eyes slid to Elena, a soft edged caress. He did not answer his brother; he shook off the hand that held him back and left.

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><p><em>I really appreciate all the lovely reviews, thank you.<em>


	8. Chapter 8

**Reminiscing **

**Chapter 8**

Elena hovered uncertainly at Bonnie's front door. She'd plucked up the courage to drive over here; all that was left to do was knock the door.

She needed to apologise, she really shouldn't have hit her.

Elena was just so sick of pain and Bonnie's insistence that her divine retribution was somehow different rankled. Watching Damon suffering set off a chain reaction within her that she had not anticipated: Elena had realised she wanted, very much, to hurt those who hurt him, it had taken her quite by surprise. Bonnie in the very least deserved an explanation.

Taking a deep breath Elena knocked…

There were noises from inside and Bonnie's face appeared in the window, she looked hesitant; Elena wondered if she would ignore her.

"What do you want?" Bonnie swung the door in, mouth pursed like she'd bitten a sour plum.

"Can I come in?"

She quirked an eyebrow at her. Guess not…

With a heavy sigh, Elena said, with no small measure of contrition "I wanted to apologise for hitting you…I'm sorry."

Bonnie said nothing.

Elena gulped "I'm just so sick of pain and suffering and death. What Damon has done is wrong but…" she scrubbed unsteady hands through her hair "I don't want someone else I care about to kill even if they think it's justified. I'm tired of it and I overreacted and I'm sorry."

Bonnie leant her shoulder to the door and sighed heavily "I've never understood why you defend him."

Elena blinked "Damon?"

Bonnie tongued her cheek and folded slender arms across her chest "No matter what it is he's done you always jump in."

Elena's mouth tightened slightly "Not always…" she squirmed.

"_Always_!" Bonnie stressed irritably, "He deserves punishment and you know that! For everything he's done, all Damon knows is pain and death and he dishes it out left right and centre. Why do you defend him?"

Elena shrank under the barrage; she knew why but was loath to admit it to herself, let alone other people. Elena did not want to acknowledge what she felt; all she knew was that right now it felt like she should have known better than to let him in.

"I am sorry Bonnie." She whispered "I know Damon can be cruel and…I'm so sorry I hit you but I didn't want him to die, there's already so much death around us without good people resorting to it."

Bonnie nodded slowly, anger fading from her features. "I think I understand…" she muttered "…you caught me by surprise with that slap though." She rubbed surreptitiously at her cheek. Elena cringed and Bonnie eyed her sideways.

"I guess, I'm sorry too…" she said quietly "I flew off the handle, Damon's just so…"

"I know," Elena shook her head; he could start an argument in an empty room.

Bonnie relented "I suppose you can come in."

Elena smiled gratefully and followed her friend inside.

They got to talking, the conversation taking an inevitable turn to magic, Bonnie's eyes lit up and all was forgotten.

The day wore on and evening found Elena lounged on a small two setter sofa in Bonnie's house, sipping coffee and staring dreamily into the flickering flames of the numerous white waxed candles dotted over the small fire place.

Bonnie looked a good deal more content with her powers back and was snuggled up in a thick blanket on the floor, coffee in one hand grimoire in the other. She'd been making up for lost time, practising any and every spell she could.

Her excitement at having Dr Martin's grimoire was just as palpable.

"So many spells!" she gasped all wide eyed and eager for a challenge.

"Are there any you can try?" Elena took a swig of coffee, it was getting late and she appreciated the caffeine hit.

"So many I hardly know where to begin!" Bonnie grinned in answer.

Elena's answering smile bled away and she studied the grimoire spread beneath Bonnie's eager hands. She wondered if there was a spell that could turn back time and if there was what would she do with it? Stop herself from kissing Damon in the first place, was that what she wanted? Would she change that last fight, tell him there _was_ something between them and that maybe it wouldn't always be Stefan…_god_, did she believe that?

"Bonnie?"

"Hmm?" she mumbled absently, trailing her fingers over the text.

"I kissed Damon." Elena said softly, huddling around her coffee for protection.

Bonnie set the grimoire aside and folded her hands thoughtfully on her lap, trying her level best to take the sudden announcement in stride. "When?" She said stiffly.

"Before this mess…" Elena's eyes shone, "...and you know what's worse?" her low voice was edged with bittereness and she could hardly meet Bonnie's gaze "I can't hate him."

"I try... I take every opportunity he gives and he gives me plenty… but I just can't hate him, not for long, not really at all."

Bonnie didn't know what to say and sat their mouth flapping uselessly, she could see Elena wanted her advice but had none to give her. She watched her friend sink back into the cushions, staring at the cup in her hands as though it held the answers, unhappy tears sliding from her eyes.

...

Damon necked his fourth whiskey of the day and was considering going for a fifth when in strode Katherine, boot heels clicking, hips swaying.

"Oh, for the love of god!" Damon groaned.

"Nice to see you too, Damon."

"What do you want now...oh wait, let me guess…" If she was anything like her counterpart then this should be pretty easy "…You want to see Stefan?"

She clapped her hands. "That and…I just plain want him."

Damon rolled his eyes, irritated at himself for the twinge of hurt.

She smiled "Poor Damon, _always_ second best."

"_Always_…really?" He looked her up and down very slowly, very pointedly, she purred.

"I suppose there are a number of things you _excel_ at. Why do you think I kept you around so long?"

He grimaced.

"Do you remember that night in Giuseppe's study?"

Yes he did, very well in fact. They had desecrated the sanctity of his father's layer, Katherine, prim little lady that she was, bent over a desk with all those petty coats and hops hiked up around her waist: it was ridiculous and massively good fun. Damon shook the images away.

"I'm not reminiscing with you Katherine."

She shrugged it off "I didn't come here for that anyway."

"Then why?"

"I heard you've taken one for the team," she grinned derisively "I'm _proud _of you."

"What are you talking about?" shit, she knew.

She ignored him "Although I must admit I didn't think you had it in you."

"There's a lot you don't know about me."

"Oh I don't know about that." She looked him over lingeringly. "Elena must be rubbing off on you."

"Unlikely."

She shrugged "Well I'm rubbing off on Stefan that's for sure."

Damon frowned "You had something to do with that girl?"

"I may have…slipped him something."

"You roofied my brother!" Damon gaped "It that even possible?"

Katherine smiled "I have certain potions at my disposal."

Damon cast his eyes forlornly toward the drinks cabinet; he was in for some spring cleaning…such a terrible waste…

"Don't worry," she laughed "I didn't poison your stash."

Oh god he hoped not "Can I ask why exactly?"

She thought about it briefly "No."

"What does it do?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I like to deal in specifics."

"It fucks up Vampires; make's them… unstable…"

"…and why would you want to _fuck up _Stefan?"

She pressed her finger to her lips, "Not telling!" she simpered.

Damon shook his head…he should have realised Stefan might need a little more incentive than jealousy and alcohol to make him kill…

"And here's me thinking he just _slipped up_…it happens to us all, now and again."

"Hmm, Stefan commits spontaneous acts of murder and you commit spontaneous acts of …kindness?"

"Like I said, we all slip up now and again."

"Speaking of slipping up, how about it lover?"

Damon looked her over slowly and she put her hands on her hips. "We can _console_ each other."

"What consolation can I gain from you?"

"Pleasure then… you remember how it was between us. Remember what it felt like to be with me."

He remembered all too well, those memories were all he had over 150 years of waiting: The only thing she left for him.

"Don't you love me?" she asked, prettily fluttering her long eyelashes.

Damon laughed bitterly "And why does that suddenly matter now? You can't fuck guys who don't love you?"

"I'm _flexible_."  
>"I know," he smirked "but that's beside the point."<p>

"That's not how I meant it." She said primly.  
>"Isn't it?"<p>

She quirked a delicate arching brow, "You're flirting with me."

"Don't take it personally, it's indiscriminate."

"Oh" she pouted "and I thought I was special."

"One of your many assumptions."

Katherine rolled her eyes "Enough Damon, I get it, you hate me. I was just wondering if you wanted some break up sex, we never did get a chance to really end things."

"I thought you did pretty well that last time."

"Would you have preferred I lied?"

"I would prefer you left."

She pouted prettily "I may not have loved you Damon, but I cared for you _deeply_."

"Katherine," he said dryly "you only cared about how _deeply_ I could sink my dick in you."

"Deeper than most then…" She smiled indulgently "that's why I love you Damon…"

"I thought you said you didn't." he interrupted.

"It was a figure of speech. Now you're just being pedantic…" she huffed "Fine, I know when I'm not wanted." She leaned in to whisper in his ear "You don't know what you're missing."

"Oh I do and I think I'll live."

"You haven't been _living_ since I left Damon, merely existing."

Katherine sauntered away, leaving Damon staring dull eyed at the floor.

Well, that was his afternoon decided…to the grill!

...

Damon slouched over the bar, glaring into his scotch. That bloody woman…it was going to take a while to dig her out completely, she was like a weed, the root of which was sucking the life out of his soul. You don't just get over a woman who you waited over a century and a half for, even if it was all a lie, even if he hated her.

He was probably going to have to tell Stefan at some point that Katherine knew about his little indiscretion and was the reason for it, at least in part: Another thing to worry about…great.

Fine manipulative skills then inhibition, he was so close to the point of drunkenness he needed so close he could almost taste it…well his taste buds had numbed at this point, he couldn't really taste anything. He sighed heavily; he didn't really want to get blitzed to any real extent, just taking the edge off was enough.

Damon threw down the money and walked out still in possession of all his facilities.

As he left, Damon could sense someone following, he turned.

The young man behind him was as wholesome as corn and handsome as a high-school jock, his placid face screamed mama's boy, only, Damon knew this boys mother almost intimately, so minus the mama's boy.

"Mark?"

"Matt!"

Whatever, "What do you want _Matt_?"

Damon looked him over, there was an odd odour coming from the boy…

"Is that Garlic?" Damon grinned, it was adorable.

"I've come to kill you." Matt growled.

"There's an original idea." Damon rolled his eyes.

Matt charged. Damon moved. "This is just silly."

"You killed my sister!" he roared.

Damon was honestly getting tired of being blamed for things he didn't do, really, really tired, so he had snapped her neck in order to turn her…but that didn't count…

"She _wanted_ to die." Damon reasoned "It's one of the many services I provide."

"Monster!"

Damon groaned: there were so many other words to describe him in the English language, good words, what the hell was the obsession?

"Fiend, beast, animal…I could go on, but truthfully the most apt would be _Vampire_."

Damon's fangs descended and he flicked his tongue over the sharp edges. Matt recoiled his resolve wavering. Damon waved his hand over the boy's eyes, "Sleep."

Matt crumpled.

Crisis averted.

* * *

><p><em>Please Review...<em>


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**The Straw that broke the Camels back**

"Well, if it isn't the happy couple in their love nest." Damon cooed.

"Get out Damon!" Stefan groaned.

"I wouldn't interrupt your inexpert fumbling unless it was really important."

Elena sat back against the head rest. "Oh really?" she said doubtfully.

Damon answered flatly, "What has been seen cannot be unseen."

She could only wish something that interesting was going on…cuddling…_cuddling_ was the extent of her _sex_ life at present.

"What is it Damon?" Stefan guided them back to point.

"Uh…" what was his name again? "…Matt is on the couch downstairs."

"What have you done?" Stefan strangled.

Yep, that was rich. "Don't interrupt!" Damon chastised. "…Where was I…ah yes. Apparently Caroline, _moved by love," _Damon clutched his chest, "decided Matt must know everything about her and I mean _everything_."

He let that sink in before moving on "So Van Helsing came looking for Dracula's head on a platter, namely me and…" as a side note "…justice for Valerie."

"Vickie!" Elena hissed.

Damon snapped his fingers "Right Vickie. Anyway, he's currently sleeping it off."

Stefan got out of the bed "You didn't hurt him, right?"

Damon arched a single dark brow and Stefan shrank under his gaze.

"I'll wait downstairs." He turned to leave but stopped "Oh, you might want to call Caroline, this is her doing. She should be present at the hearing."

...

Soon enough everyone joined Damon in the sitting room looking over an unconscious Matt who would remain so until Damon wanted otherwise.

Caroline sat by him, dejected.

"I had to save him." She muttered

"No one is disputing that." Elena soothed, Damon made a noise to object and was glared to silence.

Caroline continued "I was hoping it could be like what you and Stefan have…but Matt…" she brushed her fingers through his hair tenderly "He got so mad; I didn't know what to do. He thought _I'd_ killed Vickie…_ME_!" she sounded thoroughly appalled.

"So…" Damon said "…you just thought you'd put the story straight?"

Caroline cringed. "He deserves to know." She justified stiffly.

Damon snorted "We don't all get what we deserve Caroline."

"No." Elena said pointedly "We don't."

Damon rolled his eyes, chuckling to himself. "Ouch!"

Stefan finally spoke having appointed himself judge of proceedings. "Should we compel him to forget, or let him keep the memory?"

Damon put up his hand "Your honour, I vote compulsion to within an inch of his life and seeing I'm the one who'll have to do it my vote counts as three."

"Hey!" Caroline protested. "If anyone's going to compel him, it's going to be me."

"I think Damon's right." Elena sighed. Although he was going about it in a completely inappropriate manner, Elena was inclined to agree…sometimes ignorance was bliss.

"Elena?" Caroline whined.

"I'm sorry Caroline, but we can't have Matt trying to kill Damon or Stefan. If he went to Sheriff Forbes you might be in danger too."

Stefan mulled it over, "Shouldn't we give him a chance?"

"A chance to what? Kill me?" Damon folded his arms, striking his best stubborn pose. "No thank you."

"He thinks Damon killed his sister," Elena hesitated, casting gentle dark eyes toward Damon "he's not going to forgive him." She said softly and held his gaze a moment longer before looking away.

Damon shook his head.

"Technically, I just turned her." He corrected "_He_ killed her." Damon pointed at Stefan and smiled broadly.

"Couldn't we just wipe the memory of Vickie talking about the vampires?" Caroline offered. "Wouldn't that work?"

"It might." Stefan frowned at Damon's accusing finger.

"Ah yes," Damon let his hand fall "that god awful hatchet job you made of her compulsion."

"I wouldn't have had to do it if you hadn't turned into Butcher Pete when you arrived in Mystic Falls, now would I?" Stefan grated angrily.

"Butcher Pete, seriously?"

Caroline deflated "Just take it away." She said "If it'll be easier for him… just take it all away."

Elena regarded her friend sadly; it must be difficult for her to come to this decision.

Everyone was quiet, until Stefan finally spoke "Are you sure?" he asked softly, Caroline nodded.

"I don't really have a choice." She whispered.

Damon snapped his fingers "Rise and shine." Matt sat bolt upright, he stared about him wide eyed and confused "What's going on…I was…"

"Caroline has something she wants to say to you." Damon winked at him.

...

Being the designated driver, Damon had been chosen to drop off a freshly compelled Matt, which he had done with diligence and was on his way home when something caught his attention.

It was black as pitch outside, but his eyes pierced the darkness focusing on three figures struggling in an alley between two dilapidated buildings.

Two men and a woman…they forced her down…Damon realised what was happening and the Chevy came screeching to a halt.

Damon could be an evil son of a bitch but there was one thing he could not tolerate…fucking filthy rapists.

He leapt out and launched himself at the attackers. He grabbed them both by the scruff of the neck and lifted them bodily from the ground, they squealed and kicked and Damon hammered them against the wall before allowing them to fall dazed to the ground.

"What the fuck man!" The scruffy one whined, his nose mashed across his face, bloodied and swelling. The little one jumped up but Damon landed a solid boot between his legs, he crumpled.

"Rapists…" Damon tested the word, moving it around his mouth with distaste.

"I don't like rapists." He studied his would-be victims.

"Now Murderers I can live with," he continued, half talking to himself "you might say I have a certain affinity for their cause being that I am one. " he smiled indulgently "Although when_ I_ kill people I believe it's justified…a man's gotta eat, am I right!"

No one seemed to agree…

The two men stared at him, beady little eyes stretched wide in fright. Damon had delivered his monologue with vamp face in the starring role and he could tell by their ghastly white pallor, they weren't appreciating his inner beauty.

He tried smiling, displaying rows of shark like teeth; it didn't help, if anything it made it worse. The little one started crawling backwards on all fours reminding Damon of a crab. The open mouth of the alley beckoned and the dark scruffy assailant made a dash for it, Damon descended upon him like an avalanche, latching onto his soft fleshy throat. Blood spurted like he was some twisted fountain ornament and he went down like a stone, the little one seeing this gave a strangled scream, he was swiftly silenced when Damon snapped his twig neck.

Damon stood back to look over his handy work…messy he concluded.

He turned his attention finally to the woman, she coward, huddled against the wall. Pale brown eyes latched onto him, her terror stark.

"Please don't hurt me!" she screeched, stuffing her purse at him in outstretched arms "Just take my bag, take what you want…don't, don't hurt me!"

Damon scowled; this was how he was treated after helping?

"Woman, do I look like I want your shit?" He smeared the back of his hand over his bloodied mouth. She was so completely terrified it was making him hungry, baser instincts kicking in.

"Chill out." He compelled "I wasn't here this didn't happen."

She nodded vacantly. He felt a little bad for her, looking back at the men's corpses, still they deserved it but she didn't have to witness the retribution he supposed.

"Go home, you're safe now." He tried to smooth his voice as his fangs sank back in and he shrugged his shoulders.

The lady wandered away with a certain oblivious air about her that all victims of compulsion tended to have.

...

Stefan had given Caroline a thorough talking to and she and Elena had returned home together. He hoped they'd made the right decision about Matt; he was pretty distraught about his sister's death understandably and though Damon may have turned her Stefan was the one who planted the stake in her chest. He felt badly about that, especially now, after what had happened.

Stefan felt like shit, he hated lying to Elena but feared her reaction to the truth more. As he turned to make his weary way to bed he found Katherine standing before him, hands on her hips, she smiled.

"Hello Stefan."

"Katherine." He said flatly. "What do you want?"

She pouted "Your company. Is that too much to ask?"

"I don't feel like sparing with you tonight."

She came toward him, her hips moving in a hypnotizing pendulum swing, "Then let's not argue."

Stefan backed away "Just go."

"One of these days Stefan you are going to remember you have feelings for me and you're going to feel very silly about all this."

"There's nothing to remember, I've never loved you."

She widened her dark eyes "The level of denial you've reached is stupefying. I suppose in that respect, at least, you and Elena are made for each other."

Stefan frowned "What?"

Katherine quirked an eyebrow "Oh come on!" she gasped in mock horror "Don't pretend like you haven't considered it!"

Stefan was afraid to ask, though he had a good idea.

"You've seen how they look at each other," she continued "and as much as I hate to admit it, I don't think Damon see's me anymore when he's looking at her. Not like you Stefan…" she ran her hand through his hair, Stefan flinched "she'll never be able to replace me and your attempts are pitiable.

"There's nothing between my brother and Elena, nothing…"  
>Katherine rolled her eyes "Strange you should mention that first, insecure much?"<p>

Stefan grimaced "…and I'm not replacing you Katherine. How could I when there's nothing I ever had from you worth replacing."

Katherine glared at him. "What is it about Elena that has you two so infatuated?"

"So now you're jealous?"

"That's not an answer…and no I'm not. I _am_, however, impatient for… a realisation you might say. We may have eternity but I'd rather not wait that long."

"It must be annoying that you can't compel me now."

"I merely took away your fears, but I never compelled your love." She smiled affectionately "You were so delicate back then." She stroked eager hands down his chest "Now you're all manly and strong!"

Stefan peeled her hands off and she sighed.

Katherine poured herself a drink from Damon's steadily increasing stash.

"What did it feel like?" she asked between sips.

"What did what feel like?"

"Killing that girl, was it just as you remember?"

Stefan gasped "How do you know about that?"

Her grin was sinister to say the least "I know a lot of things Stefan, like how Damon is taking the blame for you." She placed the glass on the table "I suppose it's to spare Elena the _horror_ of knowing what you truly are…perhaps even to spare _you_…Damon was always a big softy, don't you think?"

"You don't know what you're talking about." He breathed.

Katherine shrugged "Perhaps you're right…Perhaps he did it to steal her away…"

"What?"

"When the truth will out, and believe me it always does, she'll see him in a whole new light. Damon the _good guy_…then your beloved Elena will go running into his arms." She sighed dreamily.

Stefan shook his head disbelievingly "You're wrong."

"Am I?"

"Yes!" Stefan was not as confident about his answer as he wanted to be and Katherine could smell it.

"Don't fret my love, the original and best doppelganger still loves you." She caressed his shoulders but he pushed her away.

"Don't touch me!"

She pouted "Don't take it out on me. Damon's the one trying to steal your girl."

Stefan fell silent. Katherine flicked her hair theatrically. "Should I tell her?"

"No!" Stefan tried not to sound as desperate as he felt and failed.

"So give me a good reason not to."

"I…uh." he couldn't think of any reasons she would be sympathetic to.

"How about, if you keep quiet we won't kill you." Damon swaggered into the room smiling threateningly. Katherine preened under his gaze.

"_So mean_. Where does all that repressed anger come from?"

"I wonder." He muttered, nudging her out of the way and pouring himself a glass of bourbon. She rubbed against him like a cat: Damon glared at her, she chuckled and moved away.

"Three's a crowd." She kissed Stefan's cheek before he could stop her "Think about what I said." She whispered.

He watched her go.

"What did she say?" Damon asked.

"Nothing." Stefan answered. "Why are you covered in blood?"

Damon plucked at his shirt with distaste, saying "Busy night." by way of explanation.

"How busy?" Stefan was aghast but did not have the time to hear a reply, Elena walked in cutting the conversation short.

"Caroline is okay, she's home. What about Matt, is he…" her voice faded to nothing as she took in Damon's blood soaked shirt. Stefan watched as his brother deflated under the horror in her gaze, a look of dull acceptance placed like a mask upon his face.

At first Elena thought he was hurt, fear stealing her breath but then she realised there was blood on his chin near his mouth and she was seized with anger.

"What have you done?" she hissed, bristling like a cat.

Damon cracked his neck detaching himself from the moment, settling cold hard eyes on her.

"If you must know I was…"

"You've killed someone else?" she shoved his chest "Didn't you! Didn't you!" Damon growled threateningly the crackling sound vibrating in his throat but she kept coming.

"They fucking deserved it." He held his ground.

"They? One isn't enough anymore?"

Stefan tried to get between them "Elena Stop it, there's got to be an explanation."

"Shut up!" she glared at him, before turning her anger on Damon again.

"You _are_ worthless." Dark eyes rebuked him scathingly, her voice thick with the deepest censure "Why don't you just kill _me_…get it over with?"

Damon's hand shot out and latched onto her throat; he pulled her forward and brought his face down to her level.

His darkened eyes flickered over her mouth and Elena could scarcely breathe, hot shallow breath sticking in her throat as those blue glaciers glared into her. Stefan was forgotten, he tried ineffectually to talk them down but she could not hear him over the loud thudding of her heart the pounding rush of blood in her ears.

The heat seeped from Damon's eyes as he saw fear glow from hers, his hand loosened.

Damon had swallowed everything she threw at him before, why should now be any different? Why should it hurt more?

_You are worthless._

He'd chosen this, but the weight was proving too difficult to carry.

"I'm done." He murmured. He stepped back, "Goodbye Elena."

...

Damon slung clothes into a large leather travel bag with his usual reckless abandon and Stefan watched cautiously by the door. "Are you leaving?" he asked understandably surprised.

Damon grimaced "I'll stay close." He muttered "We wouldn't want precious Elena to get hurt, now would we?"

He paused and looked to his brother. "I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, Katherine poisoned you."

Stefan blinked "She what?"

"She said she gave you a potion, made you bat shit crazy."

Stefan's mind raced back to the bar the night he killed Anne Marie, Katherine could have easily slipped him something and he would never have noticed, but why?

Something in his face must have told Damon his next question; it was answered without asking "I have no fucking idea, she wouldn't tell me. Just be careful, she's up to something…but hey look on the bright side, you're not a murdering psychopath…at least" Damon reiterated sarcastically "…not in the fullest sense of the word."

Stefan _was_ relieved but not by much, he'd still killed the poor girl. "What do you think she's planning?"

Damon dragged his hands back through his hair and collapsed on the bed, "I've no idea how that twisted mind of hers works, all I know is she's a selfish bitch, so whatever it is she has planned, I imagine it swings around that central point like it's a fucking axis." He spun a finger in the air and let his arm drop. "If I had to guess," he said dully "I'm betting it has something to do with Klaus."

Her whole existence seemed to revolve around outsmarting that guy.

Stefan chewed his lip thoughtfully "Which means it has something to do with Elena." He concluded.

Damon spread his hands "Doesn't it always."

"…and you're really leaving?"

Damon slumped "I know this guy, a few towns over. He's the only one I can think of that sells potions; if she got it from him maybe I can find out exactly what it is she gave you. Maybe we can get something from that…it's all I've got."

Stefan grimaced, it was better than nothing.

"Tell Elena I'm not coming back."

"What?"

"If Katherine thinks I'm out of the picture maybe she'll make a move."

"I thought the potion guy was the extent of your ideas?" Stefan grunted dubiously.

"I'm full of surprises." Damon smirked "When I get back, I'll watch Elena from the _shadows_." Damon's smile spread "Hey you wouldn't mind giving me some advice on the finer points of stalking? I'd really appreciate it."

Stefan ignored that and instead asked the question that was still praying on his mind.

"Tell me what happened." He said "Where did the blood come from?"

Damon turned lazily; his anger toward Elena swallowed behind a death mask "Rapists…" He zipped his bag closed and tossed it to the floor. "All I did was remove two stains from the face of the earth. The guys were prison fodder, no point wasting the justice systems time."

"You're your own Justice system?"

Damon made a face and ripped off the soiled shirt, "That's me, Judge Judy at your service."

"I know I'm not in a position to lecture…"

"No you're not, so why don't we leave the lectures for now Stefan, I have to pack, I want a shower and I'm feeling a tad underappreciated."

"Damon?"

"Yes Stef..."

"Have a good trip."

* * *

><p><em>You've been very patient with me, I realise there is a lot of angst and not so much Damon and Elena love, but have no fear, it comes…honestly.<em>


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Chase the Devil**

Elena had left for home pretty sharpish after Damon walked out with Stefan hot on his heels but she'd hardly slept that night, tossing and turning into the small hours.

A fog had settled over her, thick and heavy.

"Why can't I hate you?" she asked the air.

Maybe it was time to ask the man himself that question.

Really it was obvious enough, though she'd tried to suppress it. This was more than simply attraction, she had feelings for Damon and god but didn't she punish him for it.

Elena rose and dressed and finally entered the boarding house late that morning with some trepidation. Her fight with Damon still fresh in her mind, it seemed in some way or another he always managed to keep himself lodged in her head…for better or worse.

Stefan was reading a brown leather bound book when she entered, from which he raised hooded eyes with an expression akin to nervous tension on his sombre face.

"Hey." He said.

She disregarded his anxiety putting it down to the argument. Which was understandable, Elena had went off the deep end without knowing all the facts, although could he blame her? After everything?

"Is Damon here?" she asked.

Stefan shook his head "He's gone."

Something about how he said that put her on edge "Gone where? The Grill?"

"No."

Elena studied him "Gone where Stefan?"

Stefan set the book aside and stood "He's left Elena, for good."

Elena was flabbergasted; Damon wouldn't leave when she was still in danger…

"You're serious?"

Stefan sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair "He left last night after…"

"…after the fight." She finished hollowly and pressed her hands over her face, shit.

His brother had gone through enough for him these past weeks without adding to his troubles unnecessarily and though Stefan may not have wanted to admit it to Damon, she at least needed to hear it. "The people he killed got what was coming to them."

Elena bit her lip "He told you what happened?" she murmured.

"They tried to rape a woman, Damon stepped in, he was... overzealous in his punishment."

Elena's shoulders sagged and she sank onto the sofa.

It was official, she was a bitch.

She had to apologise to him, convince him to come back…"Do you know where he went?"

"No." he said cautiously.

She could sense he was holding something back "Are you lying to me?"

"Elena…"

"I have to go." Elena made for the door but Stefan stopped her, wrapping his hands firmly around her arms.

"Wait, just leave him, he'll be alright."

"You heard the things I said, I was cruel and he didn't deserve it…" she shook off his grip "I'm tired of being angry with him…"

Stefan blinked "You've _forgiven_ him?"

She looked away, "I have to go."

Stefan stood watching the door frozen in place like Sculpture, if she could forgive Damon could she forgive him if he told her the truth?

...

Bonnie, after some extreme coaxing, had given her Damon's location with some nifty little spell and Elena tore through the streets like a mad woman. She didn't have a lot of time before he was moving again and then she wouldn't be able to tell where the hell he was.

All she was doing was making sure he wasn't doing anything crazy; she was not worried about him…

It took her about an hour forty to reach the town Bonnie had mentioned. It was a small, dry looking place, although not for much longer judging by the black clouds gathering ominously on the horizon and not so much a town as it was a road with shops on either side: Still the street was pristine and the people looked friendly enough. Elena parked up and hopped out, eyes sweeping the road for the tell tail swagger of Damon's black clad figure.

Nothing…the next best thing then…His car sat up the road glinting at her in what remained of the sun light. She nearly died from relief, he was still here... conveniently enough…

She perched herself on the bonnet of the chevy and waited.

"Elena?"

"Damon!"

He cast his eyes heavenward, well this pissed all over his plan, pissed over it from a great height.

"What are you doing here?" he groaned.

"I came to bring you back." She announced stubbornly.

Damon snorted "Good luck with that." He turned and started to walk away.

"We need you." She called after him.

Damon stopped "Go home Elena." His eyes swept the road, "How did you even find me?"

"Bonnie." She answered quickly.

He rolled his eyes.

Elena closed the distance "I had to see you."

"Suddenly you can't live without me?" he bit tersely.

Elena pursed her lips "Damon…"

"Get in the car."

"Are you taking me home?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to stay?"

"No. I'm delivering you back to Stefan then I'll be on my merry way…_again_."

"Then I'm not getting in the car. I have my own anyway, I don't need a ride."

"Would you go back if I didn't _escort_ you?"

Elena's chin rose obstinately "No." she said with feeling, whilst rocking what Damon had come to recognise as her we-shall-not-be-moved face.

"I didn't think so..." he breathed wearily "Get in or I swear I'll take you back gift wrapped."

"_Gift wrapped_?"

He smiled a sight too eagerly for her taste. "There's masking tape in the car."

"You wouldn't dare..."

She knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left her mouth. You don't dare Damon Salvatore on principle; he was liable to take you up on it.

She had little warning before Damon lifted her yelping and struggling over his shoulder, nonchalantly opening the boot of his car and throwing her in with about 15 witnesses in the street pointing and gaping.

The landing knocked the wind out of her but she recovered quickly and screamed until her throat was raw.

"Damon, let me out!" She pounded on the boot lid, kicking ineffectually, the damn thing was as solid as that mans stubborn streak. "Damn it!" she shouted. "You son of a bitch!"

Obnoxiously loud music drowned out her shrill voice, he'd put the radio on full, the sounds of _Chase the Devil_ blaring through the car.

Elena gave one last long loud holler and sagged back against the felt flooring of her prison.

Well, she thought, look on the bright side; at least he didn't use the masking tape.

* * *

><p><em>Chase the Devil by Eagles of death metal<em>, _in case you wanna check it out._

_Please Review..._


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Mo's Motel**

The car breaks slammed on and Elena was buffeted around like luggage, bracing her arms against the walls of her little cell.

The boot lid clicked and light rushed in to blind her, Damon's stark silhouette casting a long shadow. "Comfy?" He grinned.

Elena leapt out and flounced off in a huff.

Damon's car was abandoned in the middle of a seemingly deserted road, tall pines creaking in the breeze on either side. She had no idea where the hell they were but was determined not to let that faze her, she could find her own way back.

"Elena!" he called after her, amusement thick in his voice. "Oh come on, I've done worse."

"I know!" she shouted, whirling to face him. "You're always thinking of new and exciting ways to degrade people."

Elena tried her level best to lay on the guilt fast and thick. Damon seemed immune.

"How could you leave with everything the way it is?"

"Haven't we gone through the whole, overestimating-your-importance-to-me thing? I thought we had? In fact I'm nearly sure I managed to fit it in to at least one of the arguments."

Elena stalked off, with Damon close on her heels. "Get back in the car; you can sit in the front seat this time, I promise."

She whirled to give him another piece of her mind but stopped short.

Elena watched, horrified, as Damon's Chevy warped like warm solder around the front of the huge truck that came hurtling round the blind corner.

The car turned to butter as the relatively unfazed truck came screeching to a halt, the huge ass end jack knifing and shuddering to a halt.

He'd never forgive her for this…

"Damon I…"

He raised his hand sharply "Don't say a word." He breathed, his eyes never leaving the Chevy's ruined remains.

They watched in silence as the truck driver sprang from the cab to inspect the wreckage, obviously relieved to find no one in what was left of the car. His distant demeanour flipping from worried to enraged.

Elena glanced toward Damon timidly, about now would be the time to talk to the driver and explain the mess.

"Shouldn't we…" she tapered off and spread her hands toward the scene.

Damon spun on his heel and made for the woods, Elena stumbled after him.

"I'm really sorry!" she called.

...

After following the road for a few miles, a sign pointing down an old dirt track announced the presence of a Motel called Mo's. Damon veered off and the two carless vagrants trudged through dank woods and thick energy sapping mud, all under a grey turgid sky emptying slicing sheet rain.

Elena was soaked to the skin in seconds.

Damon strode ahead, irritated but relatively unfazed, sparing a glance back to Elena every now and again.

"Are you talking to me yet?" she shouted, Damon had been in a bit of a strop since they left the accident. "If you hadn't left the car in the_ middle_ of the _road_ then this wouldn't have happened…you can't blame me for this…Damn it!"

"It's completely unreasonable!" she muttered.

"_Unreasonable_…" he grumbled "like when you go nuts over the death of a couple of wannabe rapists…like that kind of unreasonable?"

Elena huffed "So they deserved it, okay, are you happy?"

"No."

"What happened anyway?" Elena asked hesitantly "You never really …" she tapered off.

Damon rolled his shoulders. "I was," he explained "embarrassingly enough, trying to rescue someone: Vigilante-esq, like your friendly neighbourhood spiderman only cooler and without the spandex."

Elena tried to visualise Damon in spandex and became rather absorbed by the idea.

_Focus…_

Glancing back, he caught her wistful expression and grinned. "Thinking about me?"

*cough* "No."

Damon arched an eyebrow at her dubiously "Anyway," he continued "I figured prison was too good for them so…"

"Right."

The rain stopped, thank god and Elena was nearly sure she could see the motel through the trees.

She struggled along heaving her feet out of the sucking earth until the mud finally sucked her feet ankle deep, sealing them in a vacuum.

"Damon!" Elena pulled at her legs, tired and angry and ready for a hot shower. "I'm stuck!"

He looked her over not bothering to hide his amusement.

She glared at him "Help…_Please!"_

Finally he rolled his eyes and lumbered back, taking firm hold of her slippery wet hands.

"Ready?"

She braced herself "Yep."

He pulled and Elena's feet came clean out of her shoes.

Unable to compensate for the unexpected shift in weight, Damon, whose boots had suffered the same sinking fate lost his balance and landed on his back in the mud with Elena, yelping comically and landing on top, long legs spread eagled.

Damon groaned as muck and water oozed under his collar.

"Is there no end to this indignity!" He muttered theatrically.

"I'm Sorry." She giggled, her fatigue momentarily forgotten.

Damon sighed heavily and settled his hands on her hips "No need to apologise, I like a woman on top."

Elena snorted in a rather unlady like fashion.

"You're covered in mud, soaked to the skin and you're still flirting with me!"

She sat up, straddling his waist. Damon shifted his hips in an overly exaggerated movement and Elena gulped thickly.

"Never want to miss an opportunity." He smirked, levering himself into the sitting position. She gazed into his eyes as he closed the distance. Well, she thought, if there was ever anyone who could pull off being hot whilst this filthy it was Damon.  
>"Elena?"<p>

"Yeah?" She murmured

"I know you're comfy but could you get off me?"

Elena surged to her feet or at least she would have but the mud held fast to her knees and she only succeeded in flopping about uselessly, muck squelching and slurping.

Damon fought to control the building laughter.

Elena stopped struggling "I'm stuck…_again_" She pouted.

"I noticed."

Damon slid his hands under her arms and pushed her up, whilst endeavouring to gain his feet. Both managing in a grabbing struggling tangle to do so, although Elena, reduced to fits of laughter and clutching at Damon's shoulders, proved of little help. He pulled her over to a grassy verge for some welcome respite. The laugher gradually subsided and they were left, holding each other, Damon's hands nestled in the curve of her waist, Elena's resting upon his shoulders. Breathless and panting and gazing into his eyes, Elena realised she wanted…

"I'm sorry." She said suddenly.

Damon regarded her warily.

"I shouldn't have said you were worthless, I didn't mean it."

He stepped away from her arms. Whether she meant it or not, it still hurt.

"Why did you come after me?" he said, dark brows drawn down in a sharp V. "What does it matter if I left forever, if you _never_ saw me again?"

"After _everything_ I've done, why would you even want to see me again?"

_Oh god, Damon_, because she needed him more than she knew herself.

"Damon…" she reached out cupping his face in her hands. "I..." she couldn't say it "...Whatever you've done, you can still be a better man." she urged gently but Damon surprised her.

"Why?" he looked angry, she didn't know how to answer, her hands fell to her sides.

"What's my reward?" he cocked his head "You?"

Elena shrank back as he stepped toward her.

"Oh wait," he smiled "Goodness is its own reward, is that it?" He chuckled bitterly.

"Yeah, that's sounds about right." He shook his head seeing the uncertainty in her eyes.

What he wouldn't give to be everything she wanted… but it was so hard and Damon didn't believe he could ever be this good man she held in such high esteem, violence was his byword; death and destruction were what he did best. Remembering what he had lost a century and a half ago only increased his volatility, the beast raging to forget the pain only causing more pain…

Now because of her he couldn't find solace in anything anymore and he could not have the one thing that he knew would sate him, the one thing that had set him tumbling down this path to begin with…

"Don't worry Elena." He said dully "I'll be on my best behaviour."

Without warning Elena wrapped her arms around him and Damon wished she hadn't. Didn't she realise how much it hurt, how his heart ached for want of having her? Couldn't she see she was killing him?

"_I_ need you." She whispered. He leant into her, wanting desperately to believe that: but his heart too often crushed, so filled with self doubt from those he loved most pushing him aside would not allow it.

Elena drew back finally and Damon moved away.

...

The motel room was…cosy.

Dark blue carpet and faintly mildewed magnolia coloured walls.

There were, as the desk attendant said, two pokey little double beds dressed in dark grey sheeting shunted up against the side wall separated by a tiny night stand.

Elena was too tired to complain, she'd leave that till after a long hot shower.

Damon peeled off his leather jacket, flakes of drying caked mud cracking off as he dropped it where he stood and he didn't stop there, why stand on ceremony? He just stripped off down to his boxers and instead of shying away, like she really should have, Elena allowed her eyes to trail over the dark line of hair below his navel, to follow the curving planes of his chest, tension radiated from him and she could see his muscles tighten. He didn't take his eyes off her the entire time, the unflinching intensity in his pale gaze made love to her with a look; it was his mastery as she was sure the more carnal kind was too.

Elena tore her gaze from him "I'm gonna have a shower." She slipped quickly into the bathroom and shut the door with a relieved sigh.

Did he even know what he did to her? How much she wanted him…she was supposed to be with Stefan not secretly in lov…

Elena slammed her hands down on the faded porcelain basin. _Enough!_

She was going to call Stefan.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey Stefan."

"_Elena? Is everything alright?"_

"Well not exactly…"

"_What? What's happened?"_

Elena winced "Damon's car got totalled. We're in a motel."

"_Are you alright, did you get hurt?"_

"I'm fine, we both are. We weren't in the car when it happened…look I'll explain another time." She was painfully aware that Damon could hear her through the door. "We'll need a ride back to Mystic Falls though."

"_Fine of course, I'll be right there."_

"No, no, tomorrow morning would be great; I'll text the address of the motel."

"_Elena…" _

She rolled her eyes, he had that tone.

"One night Stefan, one night! It's going to take you ages to get here and it's already late in the day. Tomorrow is more than fine."

"_Okay, okay_" he placated.

Elena was satisfied. "I'm tired, I'll see you tomorrow."

She hung up, stripped off and started the shower, steaming hot water jetting from the rickety shower head. Elena stepped in and sighed, bliss.

...

Elena sat on one double bed wrapped in an enormously oversized T-shirt she'd found in the cupboard, her fast drying hair all kinks and curls, twiddling her thumbs. Damon sat on the other, a white towel wrapped around his middle, looking irritatingly perfect, bare chest gleaming, dark wet hair swept back.

Their filthy clothes were strewn about the floor and neither of the now clean two relished the thought of redressing in them. Elena shot a glance at him trying and failing to be covert.

"Stop ogling me." He said "It makes me feel uncomfortable." He smirked and flashed his eyebrows at her.

Elena rolled her eyes "Are you going to come back with Stefan and me tomorrow?"

"Yes, I need a new car."

"But will you stay?"

Damon shook his head; Elena watched his chest rise and fall, hardly daring to meet his eyes.

"I…"

"You have Stefan," he interrupted "you don't _need_ me." He sighed heavily, what did it matter now anyway? "I was never leaving for good," he said irritably "You're in danger, why would I leave you?"

Elena gaped at him, confusion over why he would keep up the pretence swamped by the words _why would I leave you?_

Damon stood suddenly and ripped off his towel, Elena near choked; he had a way of ruining a moment like no man she'd ever meet before. He dragged on his jeans and shoved his feet into his boots: Going commando…interesting.

"Lets go out." He said.

"Uh no." she answered.

"Oh come on, we can't stay cooped up in here all night."

"Yes we can."

Damon dragged her to her feet. "Come."

"No!"

He took her hand and pulled her struggling to the door.

"Damon I'm serious. Stop!"

He opened the door.

"Damon, No, No!" Elena's voice grew higher and higher until she screeched into the outdoors. She tried to free herself in vain Damon wasn't letting go.

Soon enough Elena found herself standing in the middle of the motel 'restaurant' in her bare legs and an over-sized t-shirt.

"Why hun!" the pleasantly plump hostess gasped "You can't go out in that!"

Elena blushed furiously and glared at Damon.

"I tried to tell her but she dragged me here against my will." He smiled "I think it was the smell of your delicious cooking."

The lady tittered and a rosy blush stained her cheeks.

"Charmer." She beamed "Make yourselves comfortable, I'll bring you our specials." She bustled away. Elena shot to one of the tables.

"I could kill you!" she growled.

Damon shrugged "Relax, those legs were made to be admired, there's no need to be so shy."

Elena supposed she could forgive him, she _was_ hungry and he wasn't bullshitting, whatever the lady was cooking smelled great.

In no time at all their hostess came floating in from the kitchen, two plates pilled high with a decidedly unhealthy selection of food. Elena was salivating.

Succulent peppered chicken & cheese burgers with curly fries and a heap of crisp fresh salad, essentially everything a growing girl could ever need. She set to with a mission.

The lady hovered, so Damon scooted over and patted the chair beside him.

She sank down with a shy smile.

"I'm Damon and this…" he glanced over to Elena whose mouth was currently full "This is Elena." She waved.

The lady grinned "My names Mo, well, Maureen but everybody calls me Mo."

"Well, I'm not everybody" Damon announced "So I shall call you Maureen, it's such a beautiful name after all."

Mo chuckled happily. Damon ate a few bites and made the most obscene noises over the food, Elena would have rolled her eyes but realised she was doing the same thing and besides it pleased Mo no end.

"If I were a few years older Maureen, I'd marry you." Damon winked, patting his stomach. Elena could have agreed.

Mo swatted his arm playfully "And take you away from your lovely girl? Never!"

"Alas," Damon sighed "She is not mine."

Mo made the most adorable poe face "Oh, but I thought…" she glanced between them, Elena almost felt guilty for bursting her bubble.

"I'm not her type." Damon said wistfully.

"Not her type!" Mo scoffed between wheezes "My goodness, there's better than this fine man out there?"

Damon's head was going to explode if Elena didn't do something soon.

"Actually yes, my boyfriend Stefan."

Damon rolled his eyes, which Mo noted. "Tell me about him."

Elena hesitated; Mo flushed "I'm sorry, I'm being a busy body!"

"Nonsense," Damon interrupted "What we really need to take from this," he grinned "is that I'm available."

Mo gave her hair a flick "Young man," she said "If I wasn't a married woman, I wouldn't hesitate but as it is…" she spread her hands.

Damon nodded sagely "It was never meant to be."

"I shouldn't keep you fine people. I've imposed enough." Mo stood and left without preamble. Elena shook her head; Damon could charm anything on legs.

"Finished?" he asked, eying her empty plate, surprised she wasn't licking it clean.

"Yep." She answered.

"You want seconds?"

Before Elena could answer, Mo returned with cherry pie and ice-cream.

"Here you are, enjoy!" She winked at Damon and shimmied away, he watched her go: that exit was meant for him. Mo was a born cougar, all bust and hips; she would have cut a fine buxom figure as a younger woman.

The rest of the evening was spent, knocking back a few beers; Mo was a rather liberal woman and was not at all perturbed by a little underage drinking, although it helped that she wasn't really sure what age Elena actually was.

She also was the proud owner of a Jukebox, a glowing shrine to music against the back wall and Damon was drawn to it, like a moth to the flame.

There was an interesting selection, nothing terribly suitable for a family place and Damon took great pleasure in playing the sleaziest songs on the list. Despite the blush inducing lyrics, the riff was infectious and Elena shimmied to the beat with increasing enthusiasm as the beer loosened her inhibition. Eventually Elena had taken control of the Jukebox and was playing _Speaking in tongues & Skin on Skin _on repeat.

She watched Damon wrap his lips around the bottle top and chug back an obscene amount of alcohol.

She leant against the Jukebox, using it as a makeshift crutch "Have you been practicing?"

"Huh?"

"Since Georgia, I totally whooped your ass on number of units consumed in one sitting." She smiled proudly "I think you've been practising for the rematch."

Damon grinned at her "_Whooped my ass_?" He shook his head "No, no, no, the alcohol has addled your brain, no one whoops me at drinking games."

"Damon?" she said in all seriousness "Have you ever worn spandex?" ever since he introduced the notion she hadn't quite been able to let it go.

"Never have, never will." He answered gravely.

He approached and whispered into her ear, sending electric shocks down her spine "Who needs skin-tights when nothing works just as well?"

She shivered; it was hard to think clearly whilst tanked. "Can you imagine Spiderman swinging through the city in his birthday suit?"

Damon shook his head, "It would certainly cause a stir."

Elena leaned unsteadily "I think I've drank too much."

"I think you have too."

Damon slung her arm over his shoulder and guided her out of the restaurant.

Their room was at the end of the row and Elena squinted down at a familiar shape…

…wait a second she recognised that car…"_Stefan_?"

Elena became very sober very suddenly; she slid from Damon's grasp.

He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled sheepishly.

Damon grunted, of course he would come, this guy was as insecure as Woody Allen.

"Stefan!" he spread his arms "I didn't expect you until tomorrow, go figure!"

"I was worried." He admitted. Elena scowled.

"And with good reason, I'm sure." Damon drawled. He opened the door and bid them enter.

"By the way this was the last room they had so…" Damon winked at Elena "Looks like we're sharing Kitten."

Stefan gulped. Elena folded her arms. "Don't be ridiculous." She muttered irritably. She didn't much feel like sleeping beside Stefan at the moment but sharing with Damon was an accident waiting to happen.

Damon frowned "I hope you don't think _I'm_ gonna sleep with Stefan! That's just…" he shivered theatrically "…_weird_."

"They're double beds we'll be fine." Stefan said slowly.

Damon cast a sceptical eye over the beds, double in name only.

"What are you wearing?" Stefan looked them over suspiciously.

Damon grinned "Not much."

"I can see that…why?"

"Mud wrestling." Damon made a face as if to say _obviously_. "It was Elena's idea."

She snorted. "It was not!"

Stefan was not amused. "You mean you _were_ mud wrestling?"

"Didn't I just say that?"

"No!" Elena sniggered.

"I'm sure I did…" Damon continued.

"Shhh," Elena gave him a shove "No, we didn't mud wrestle."

She blinked a few times in an attempt to focus, "It was raining," she said carefully, "our clothes got dirty." She pointed at the ground, taking in the mess. "Excuse me; I need to dunk my head in some cold water."

Damon leaned in toward his brother "She's a little drunk."

Stefan gave an exasperated huff through his nose "_Yeah_." He took a deep breath, "Did you find anything out?"

"Nada," Damon shrugged "Katherine didn't get the potion off him. It was a long shot anyway." Damon threw himself down on the bed.

Elena appeared again looking a little wet round the edges but on the whole more alert...maybe not that alert...she stumbled through the door smiling wanly.

"Sorry Stefan can we talk in the morning?" She crawled on the bed and hauled the covers over her head.

...

Elena woke "OH MY GOD!" she clasped her head, she was gonna hurl. This was divine punishment for all that beer and tequila; her tongue felt like a sock and her head, good god her head! Is this what it felt like for Damon when Bonnie went all Eastwick on his ass?

She whimpered and sat up, the world heaved…

"I think I'm going to die…" she groaned. Damon laughed, the sound was piercing.

"Ssstop!" she whispered hoarsely.

"Don't be melodramatic!" he said, not bothering to lower his voice. "It's not that bad!"

Elena glared at him, through squinty bloodshot eyes "Are you_ kidding_ me?"

Damon knelt down on the floor beside her, sliced an incisor across his thumb and rubbed it slowly over her bottom lip, leaving a trail of blood like vivid scarlet lipstick.

Elena licked it off and the deathly funk started to lift, she gasped.

Damon smirked "See, it's not that bad."

The shower shut off and Damon rose, just as Stefan came out of the toilet.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Surprisingly," she cast her eyes to Damon "not that bad…"

"Should we get going?"

"Give me a minute." She bounced up, gathered her clothes and shot into the bathroom.

Once done, Damon locked up and returned the key, leaving the office with Mo at his side.

"Are you leaving already?" she said.

"Yes," Elena answered "We were just crashing here until Stefan could give us a ride home."

"I see…the boyfriend?"

Elena nodded.

"Well," she looked him over "he seems very…polite."

Damon snorted.

"Uh, he is."

They said their goodbyes to Mo and squeezed into Stefan's little red car, stopping off to collect Elena's before they made the trip back to Mystic Falls.

* * *

><p><em>Please Review...<em>


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Mea Maxima Culpa**

Stefan had called that afternoon not long after school had ended. He sounded stiff and nervous, asking her to come and see him when she had time that evening.

Elena figured she wanted to know now so headed over pretty much the instant he rang off.

Once she'd arrived however Stefan suddenly didn't seem to have any special reason to see her. So the evening found Elena cross legged on the floor of his room with her homework spread unfinished at her knees while Stefan read quietly upon the bed.

She sat up unhappily, her neck stiff from holding the position too long, listening intently to music thrumming throughout the house. Damon it seemed believed his tastes should be shared rather than personally enjoyed, although one thing she wouldn't mind sharing again was his whiskey stash.

She crinkled her nose at the memory of that hangover (thank god for Damon) lemonade would have to suffice.

"You want anything from the kitchen?"

Stefan shook his head absently, "Nah, I'm fine."

Elena hopped up and made her way down the stairs trying to recognise the song playing, it sounded familiar.

"Just couldn't stay away?" Damon smirked

"…From Stefan, no." She grinned; he rolled his eyes and shook his glass motioning for her to join him… maybe just a sip.

Perching herself on the sofa back beside him and grasping the glass Elena took a swig, musing that if she continued like this all the time she was going to become quite the little lush.

"What music is this?" she asked around the rim.

She listened to the lyrics, her eyes opening wider and wider.

"You don't recognise it?" He slid his hand over hers rising the drink to his lips without taking it from her.

Elena swallowed a lump in her throat…trust Damon to hunt out the same music from the Juke Box.

"So how's my brother treating you?" he flashed his brows at her.

Elena felt a blush rising "Fine."

"Just fine?" He grimaced.

"Damon…" she warned.

"Elena." He mimicked her tone.

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

Elena floundered, _don't what?_ Don't Start? Don't Stop?

He pushed off the sofa turning to face her, that slow smile spreading, eyes glittering.

"Don't look at me like that." She breathed, heart racing.

"Like what?"

"Like a cat looks at a canary."

"You think I'll _eat_ you?" he stepped toward her, placing his hands on either side of her body, gripping the sofa back.

"Uh…" Elena froze up, it was a definite possibility.

"Is that an invitation?"

"No."

He pouted "No?"

"Damon…"

"Elena." his voice was husky and low, hitting that perfect note, sending shivers down her spine. Damon spoke to her body like no one else. He pressed his chest against hers and the glass of Bourbon slid from limp fingers, shattering at their feet.

"Elena?" Stefan's voice called from upstairs, "Is everything alright?"

Damon rolled his eyes skyward and Elena pressed her head into his chest, relieved beyond words…

"Everything's fine." She called "I just dropped a glass."

Damon backed away, crunching glass under his boots and Elena breathed easier with each step he took.

"Elena?"

Stefan descended the stairs.

Damon glanced between them "I'm not cleaning that up." He said smugly.

Elena rolled her eyes "I'll do it."

"Good, cause I've gotta go." He tapped his watch "Council meeting, _terribly_ important, they can't possibly function without me."

Damon headed for the door "Oh, wait. How do I look?" he spread his hands.

Elena looked him over, black fitted shirt, snug black jeans, like he always looked, gorgeous.

She stammered, he grinned "That good, huh?" he winked, whirled and left.

Stefan shook his head unable to share in his brother's limitless energy. He was stalling for time, trying to plan out how she would react, what he should say first and how he should say it. But he knew nothing would prepare him for the moment itself. Stefan was going to have to tell Elena the truth.

"Let me help you with that."

She waved him off, "Nay, I got it. My mess my problem."

Stefan winced, that hit a little too close to home.

"Is everything okay?" Elena could sense his unease; it had been bothering her since she arrived, he looked sot of skittish.

Stefan grimaced slightly. "Not really…" He combed long fingers through his hair and brushed unnecessarily at perfectly neat clothes.

"There's something I have to tell you."

"Oh?"

"I've been lying to you."

Elena frowned, "Lying about what?" she asked.

"We both have." He glanced warily toward the door, expecting his brother to come bursting back in.

"You and Damon?"

Stefan nodded slowly.

Elena sank onto the sofa "Lying about what?" she repeated briskly, growing impatient with his diffidence.

Stefan hesitated, he had to do this. "The girl Damon said he'd killed…"

"Anne," Elena tensed "What about her?"

"_I_ killed her." He blurted.

Elena shook her head "I don't understand…" She stared at him, studying his face as though she could see the truth if she just looked hard enough and she could.

"It was _me_."

Guilt was plain as day, written in his sombre features, practically carved on his forehead like the mark of Cain.

She rose to her feet, dark eyes glittering "…all this time and it was _you_?" her lip curled in disgust and Stefan cast his eyes to the ground.

All this fucking time and she was punishing Damon for his brother's crime and he was letting her do it, sucking up her vitriol without once revealing the truth.

Elena smoothed trembling fingers along her forehead ironing out the frown lines that, it seemed to her had taken up permanent residence between her eye brows. She was sickened with disappointment and hurt twisting in her stomach like a shot of battery acid: she sought desperately to quell it but anger and astonishment churned in a bitter broth and she spat it up with vehemence.

"You _murdered _that poor girl…_and you let me think Damon did it_?" The words hissed acidly and Stefan visibly flinched from the heat of her scorn.

Elena cast her mind back to when this first started and the same thought occurred to her.

"You killed her because I kissed Damon." She said flatly.

Stefan was quick to answer "I didn't mean to, it was Katherine she gave me something. I…I couldn't control myself"

"Katherine?" Elena swallowed her anger, what did he mean?

"It made me go mad…I couldn't help myself."

"Speak plainly." She bit.

Stefan restrained his rising panic, pressing his hands together in a pleading gesture "When you told me about the kiss, I got drunk; Katherine took advantage and put a potion in my drink. It made me lose control, I wanted blood and…"

"…and _you_ killed her." Elena's voice hardened

"I was so angry." He said brokenly.

"Is that justification?"

"No, an explanation: I hardly knew what was happening until it was too late."

Elena squeezed shut her eyes. "I was so hard on him…" she sank back down onto the couch. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I needed you to know."

"Why now and not then? You let me _hate _him Stefan!" She snapped, a basilisk glare burning a hole in his head "Why did you allow Damon to take the blame, why?"

"Damon forced me, you know how he is."

"I do know," at least she thought she did "but I'm asking you."

Stefan sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. "I was ashamed," he could remember the second it happened, Damon throwing him a life line he dared not have hoped for. "I was afraid you would hate me as much as I hate myself…" that imposing personality demanding he obey and what was worse Stefan had allowed it, wanted it. "So when Damon said _I did it, I drained her, I killed her_, I wanted it to be true, so I let it."

"I see." Elena was silent for a time, considering her next words carefully.

It felt like a pristine, glittering chandelier she had been carefully raising up to the ceiling had snapped from its rope and crashed to the floor, the pieces of shattered glass covering the ground like bright confetti and in studying the ruin of shards was coming to the conclusion that it was irreparable. Although she could not shake the thought that maybe the rope had not snapped, she'd simply let it go…if she had not kissed Damon…

She closed her eyes, Damon…

"Stefan, I…I have to think."

He nodded dejectedly and tried to reach for her but she snatched her hands back.

"Don't touch me…" tears sprang to her eyes, but she rubbed them away.

He flinched.

"…I need time…"

"I'm so sorry, that I wasn't honest from the beginning." His voice was tight and strained; he could barely meet her eyes.

"It's not just that Stefan, not completely." She said honestly.

Stefan jerked "Then what?" he asked quietly. "Is this…about Damon?"

She took a deep breath to steady herself "Yes."

"Is this because I let him take blame, would you feel differently if I told you outright, if I'd been honest…?"

Elena considered that. Would it have made a difference, or would this moment simply have come sooner?

Stefan stared at her, "Do you love him?"

She didn't answer and he took it as affirmation.

"Is this…" Stefan stuttered "is this it then?"

"Yes."

Stefan bit his lip, as tears threatened. Elena crushed the swell of emotion in her own chest.

"I have to go." She whispered.

...

Stefan collapsed on the sofa, grasping his head in his hands.

He scrubbed rough palms over his face and stifled a sob, he wouldn't be overcome, had to be strong.

"Elena!" he gasped unhappily, he saw Damon's liquor and made a bee-line for it, downing glass, after glass as the night wore on.

The front door swung open noisily admitting his elder brother.

Damon was less than amused as he entered the boarding house, especially at the sight of Stefan in the depths of another mope-fest, as if he ever did anything else.

"Bad day?" he inquired irritably at the sight of half a bottle of the good stuff now gone. It wasn't like Stefan to turn to drink, especially after what happened last time and Damon hoped this was a short faze, such a waste of good liquor. Stefan necked another.

"You have a fight with Elena or something?" he threw himself down on the chair and sniffed the air: He could still catch her perfume.

Stefan grunted "Yeah."

Damon frowned "Where is she?"

"She's gone." He stated bluntly, his voice broke.

Damon went stiff. "You broke up?" he leaned forward, there was something here he was missing. "I suppose we have," Stefan looked guilty, trying to avoid his brother's eyes.

Damon remained very still then taking a deep breath succinctly articulated how he felt about that last statement "Well shit."

"This is your fault." Stefan muttered.

"Excuse me?" Damon was aghast, what had he done now?

"You took the blame for it because you knew!" Stefan was getting irate.

Damon spread his hands at a loose, "The Blame for what? That girl?"

"Yes!" Stefan was shouting now. "You knew she would fall for you."

"The dead girl?" Damon shook his head "What are we talking about?"

Stefan threw the glass; Damon clicked his neck. That really was his best stuff and at the rate they were going today, he was going to have no glasses left.

He was beginning to get really tired of this outburst.

"Elena!" Stefan spat "You did this so she would love you!"

Damon looked Stefan over slowly, exactly how much had he been drinking?

"Yes Stefan." He said mordantly "I took the blame for killing that girl to win Elena's heart because, as everyone knows, nothing says I love you like murdering innocent women."

"Don't mock me!" Stefan raged "I told her…" his anger subsided and he slumped to the sofa "I told her it was me…"

Damon swallowed the lump in his throat. Shit.

"If she can forgive me for killing her brother, then she can sure as hell forgive you for accidently killing some random woman." Damon shifted uncomfortably, if he believed that then he would have let Stefan shoulder his own guilt.

Stefan shook his head, hooded eyes locked on the floor "But that's just it Damon, she won't forgive me. With me it's different."

Damon bit back and angry retort. It was kinda hurtful to hear Stefan say that, regardless of whether he shared the sentiment. Stefan was the good guy, he did the right thing and Damon… Damon was the bad guy. Both men fitted into their roles almost perfectly. For Damon being the bad guy was his calling until Elena that is, she came along and expected more from him: A novel experience to be sure. No one ever expected anything good to come out of Damon Salvatore, not even Stefan, not for a long time.

"She couldn't even look at me." Stefan murmured. "She was disappointed. I've let her down."

Damon didn't know what to say to console him; he wasn't good at the touchy feely stuff.

"I thought it would be like with you!"

"What do you mean?"

"I thought she would shout and rail at me, say she hated me, you know?"

Damon nodded slowly.

"I figured I could handle that but she didn't, she just…Elena just…" Stefan got lost in the memory and fell silent. Damon stood and poured himself a glass of bourbon, then after a moments pause, poured one for Stefan as well.

"She loves you." Stefan said.

"What?" Damon stopped dead.

"You heard me."

"Stefan, if I thought that was true do you think I would have put myself through all this?"

"Whether you _think_ it's true doesn't change the fact that it is and what you put yourself through only shows me you love her too."

"Stop!" Damon growled "Just stop talking." He couldn't listen to this.

Elena being in love with him was more than he could allow himself to hope for. Stefan was drunk and depressed; he didn't know what he was talking about.

"You've won Damon; you have everything, tell me what does it feel like?" Stefan stared into the fire unable to meet his brother's gaze, his voice strained with bitterness and animosity.

Damon cocked his head, "You don't need an explanation brother, you've _always_ had everything: you already know what it feels like. Just like I know how it feels to have nothing."

...

It was an unseasonably warm day, heavy and humid and clammy and it didn't even have the decency to be sunny.

It was also probably the first day in Elena's life where she wished she was in school, anything to take her mind off Stefan and Damon. Everything was thrown into disarray, she had ended a relationship that had meant a great deal to her and that wasn't even what prayed most on her mind. She kept thinking of Damon, of how cruel she had been to him and how all this time _he_ was the better man, regardless of what he may have thought and what she herself had believed. Shouldering the guilt for his brother was…well, damn it, it was freaking gallant: Damon the knight in shining armour, maybe a little tarnished over time but still.

Just as he had shielded her before by telling Stefan he had been the one to kiss her, he had shielded her again, keeping Stefan pure as the driven snow: Absorbing his sins like the portrait of Dorian Gray.

Elena sighed; she needed to get her homework back. With the bombshell from the other day it had kind of slipped her mind and was probably still in Stefan's room.

Plucking up her courage Elena drove to the boarding house, quelling any reservations. She just wanted to get her stuff and then she would leave no fuss, no problem.

She knocked the door and to her surprise, Katherine answered.

"Elena you're looking fabulous today, if I do say so myself." She leaned toward her, flicking chocolate curls back and pinching her cheeks like her human counterpart was a mirror. "Although," she tutted disdainfully "you're wardrobe could use a bit of a pick me up."

Elena was ushered inside as Katherine studied her face carefully.

"What are you doing here Katherine?" her question fell on deaf ears; a self indulgent sort of narcissistic study of her face was underway.

"Hmm," Katherine murmured "There's defiantly something missing in the eyes…a depth…"

"…of depravity." Damon appeared at Elena's side and she sidled up to him for comfort.

"I think what you're seeing is a distinct lack of heartless conniving bitch."

"Charming as ever Damon."

"I try." He smirked "At the risk of sounding like a broken record…"

"…why am I here?" she finished for him, Damon nodded.

"I have some friendly advice for our girl."

"Such as?" Elena queried.

"Such as…" Damon answered for Katherine's benefit because he couldn't possible imagine she had anything to say worth hearing "Make-up tips and the like I'm sure, no one cares Katherine, beat it."

"You're annoying me Damon."

"I'm aware of that Katherine."

Elena rested her hand on his arm and he turned his eyes on her in surprise. She wanted to hear what Katherine had to say. Damon's expression said whatever it was probably wasn't worth the hearing but he shrugged and kept quiet.

Elena stepped forward.

"Get it over with."

A flicker of anger passed over her face but was gone in an instant, Katherine didn't like to be ordered around "You're boys have been fibbing." She said tritely.

Elena rolled her eyes "Really? This is what you've come to tell me?" Damon was right; nothing she had to say was worth hearing.

"I've already heard this… What does interest me however is why you drugged Stefan?"

Damon smiled "Now that would be interesting…any thoughts Katherine?"

Katherine looked faintly disappointed about not getting to do the big reveal, she shrugged. "You boys hang around like flies round shit." Katherine muttered "I never get the chance for a little girl time: Just you and me Elena, how about it?"

Damon laughed "That's not happening."

Elena was inclined to agree, Katherine seemed just a little too eager to get her alone.

She spread her hands in defeat and backed away, "Another time then Elena."

Damon's eyes followed her as she walked out. Katherine always had some ulterior motive and it didn't sit well with him in the least that she was finally including Elena in these little visits.

"I think you should keep vervaine darts on you in future." He grumbled. "Katherine's gearing up for something. I don't want you caught in it, if I can help it."

Elena nodded "I'll see if I can get some from Alaric."

Damon looked her over appreciatively "So," he banished the harpy from his mind "What brings you here?"

"Suddenly I'm not welcome?" she quipped.

"No, I'm just surprised; I hear all is not well on the home front."

Elena shrugged slightly "There is no home front; Stefan and I aren't together anymore."

Damon pursed his lips thoughtfully, "I'm sorry about that."

Elena stared up into his clear water blue eyes and shook her head "No, I owe you an apology."

He folded his arms "Really?"

"I should have known you didn't kill that girl."

Damon made a face "Why?" he said sarcastically "Because it was _so_ _obvious_ Stefan did?"

Elena sighed. Damon swallowed his attitude, now wasn't the time.

"Why did you say you did it?"

"What was one more death to add to the many that came before?" Damon shrugged "I could swallow it, Stefan was choking…I'm not a saint Elena, I may not have killed her, but I have killed."

"Who else…?"

"…Jessica." He said softly, unable to hide the faint tremor in his voice.

Elena was surprised he knew her name and the way he said it shook her. "Why?"

Damon forced himself to meet her eyes, "I wanted to see if I still could." He said bluntly.

"I don't understand…"

His chest tightened, fear awash within him. "I can't be what you want me to be. I hurt people, I enjoy it…what's the harm in me taking the blame for Stefan? It wasn't his fault that he killed that girl. I'm not the better man Elena but my brother is."

Elena reached for him; she couldn't help it, her hand ghosting over his chest.

"That's not true Damon, now more than ever."

Though knowing Damon had truly killed another saddened her, she was not angry; she'd already punished him for that in a way.

Elena was seeing him with new eyes, seeing the real Damon, the man hidden underneath.

He looked on the verge of shattering like fine cut crystal, almost like he was waiting for her to explode in his face and Elena felt a surge of possessiveness rising, she had to tread carefully. So strange realising how fragile Damon really was, how he teetered perilously close to the edge of some bottomless chasm he'd created for himself.

"You thought if you took the guilt for this one it would be your punishment for Jessica?"

Damon was quiet.

"I think you credit me with too much conscience."

"I think you credit yourself with too little," Elena pressed her hands to his face "I can see it, I know it hurts."

She smoothed her fingers over his skin and Damon closed his eyes, undone by her gentle caress.

"Why did you take the blame for Stefan? Why did you let me believe it was you?"

"I told you."

"There's more you're hiding from me."

He sighed; it was all he could do for her to protect what she had had with his brother.

"It's a long way down from that pedestal you have Stefan on, the fall alone would kill him, I couldn't be sure you'd forgive him... I wanted you to be happy." no matter what the cost to himself.

Elena's heart surged forward to meet him, he did it for her. Her eyes brightened with tears and she smiled. "But I'd forgive you?"

Damon leaned into her hand "You can't hate me forever."

"I can try." The tears fell softly down her cheek and he brushed them away, he didn't just smile he beamed.

Elena was at a loose to know how he did it. She could forgive him almost anything.

Her heart fluttered, he didn't often smile like that, it was affecting.

Damon touched her and she sighed his name in a way he would have killed to hear.

Elena let her hands move restlessly over his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his steady breathing start to quicken under her touch.

The pupils of her widened eyes expanded to fill the murky iris and on her cheeks a pink blush spread beneath his fingers, hot to the touch; her lips too were redder than he remembered and he trailed his thumb over her glistening panting mouth.

"Why can't I hate you?" she whispered.

"I don't know." He answered honestly, his mouth brushing against her skin, her eyes rolled inward. "I should after everything you've done." His hands travelled down her body and caught hers entwining their fingers.

"You can't say I haven't given you every opportunity." He murmured.

Soft lips parted mere millimetres from his own "Damon," Her voice whispered over his skin. "Kiss me."

He bent his mouth down to hers hesitating only seconds to look into huge glistening eyes, those bright pools feeding his desire for her. His lips touched hers softly at first, she held motionless allowing him to control the moment but her hesitation was as brief as his own and her soft yielding mouth strove against his. She groaned when he forced his tongue between her teeth, her soft sighs encouraged him.

Damon's heart was a painfully clenched fist within his chest; he recognised this feeling as abject terror. Is this what it felt like to be so close to having what you wanted?

They drew apart and Elena didn't pull away, she clung to him, placing gentle little kisses on his mouth. His heart surged and pounded, any minute now she would tell him she shouldn't have kissed him…any minute now…

Elena seemed to sense it and squeezed his hand still entangled with hers. "This isn't a mistake." She whispered.

"Is that a promise?" he smiled softly.

Elena blushed "Well, I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me."

Damon was so stunned he nearly embarrassed himself by giggling.

He stepped away and cleared his throat roughly "What?"

"A date." She repeated with more confidence. "You know when two people who are attracted to each other do fun things together."

Damon was sure he looked a great deal like a deer caught in headlights at this precise moment, unable as he was to master his emotions, let alone facial expression.

He wanted very much to say something pithy but was drawing a blank, cognitive ability having taken to the hills the moment Elena had uttered the four letter word…Date…

"A date?" He asked.

"Yes…" She answered. His silence unsettled her.

For a guy lauded for being spontaneous and reckless there were a great many things he liked to be sure of, especially those that involved his heart. It would only be a matter of time before she tore apart his walls, although, the walls he built to stop Elena from getting through, he realised, could hardly be called walls at all more like paltry fencing.

He smirked suddenly "You have no idea what you've let yourself in for."

Elena grinned; it was like a weight had lifted. She was finally allowing this to happen. "I look forward to it."

Damon sought her mouth and Elena rose to meet him.

* * *

><p>Thank you for all the reviews so far, I really appreciate it.<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Lamborghini**

Elena was nervous.

Their relationship had taken a new direction and she wasn't sure where it was leading to exactly. She'd never once expected to be going on a date with Damon Salvatore and whether or not she'd been the one to ask was beside the point.

Elena wondered whether Stefan was alright, she had not seen him since his admission. She pushed the thought aside; it was too complicated to think about that right now. She still loved Stefan but Damon, her heart fluttered and that seemed to say it all.

She hovered near the window, waiting for him…

The roar of a car engine caught her attention and Elena walked onto the porch to the approach of the most gorgeous car she's ever laid eyes on.

Damon pulled up in a sleek midnight blue Lamborghini Miura SV the tight ass sweeping down to a low sharp nose: all curves and purring power, it screamed sex.

Elena gaped.

"Want a ride?" he smiled, like he had to ask! Elena nodded and slid inside.

The Miura was a two seater, with the engine shunted up behind in the centre of the car: Loud and crackling behind their heads. Only two dials before the steering wheel, speedometer and reeve meter, this car was meant for one thing, being driven fast. The sloping curve of the chasse designed to take flight, cutting through the air like a snipers bullet.

Damon revved and burbling vibration quivered through the soft caramel coloured leather cushioned seat beneath her.

"This car is obscenely gorgeous."

"Hmm," Damon agreed "I thought it suited me." He caressed the steering wheel.

It did suit him; the move from American muscle car to Italian sport was an excellent decision in Elena's opinion. All thanks to her and the enormous truck that took out the Chevy… a blessing in disguise?

"Speaking of obscenely gorgeous." He looked her over appreciatively; she wore an ivory coloured chiffon dress with pearl buttons high to her neck, cascading down to a pleated rippling skirt skimming below her knees, finished with dark red sky high peep toes that matched her lipstick perfectly. He'd said think 30's and this was as 30's as her wardrobe allowed.

Damon too was suited to the nines, in a white fitted pin collar shirt with a grey woven silk tie and a charcoal coloured suit that hugged his slender figure like he was born in it.

Elena grinned, adding silently _speaking of screaming sex_, best to leave that on the inner monologue, Damon would only take it as an invitation.

"So," she settled in, stroking her hand over soft leather "where are we going?"

"To the Grill." He answered.

She gaped "Seriously?"

"No," he said with feeling "not seriously, we are defiantly not going to the Grill."

"So, where?"

"Guess."

"Seriously?"

"_Seriously_," he mimicked "was that on your word calendar today?"

Elena rolled her eyes "Just tell me!" She begged.

"Fine, spoil sport," he huffed "we are going to The Warehouse."

...

The drive to the club was divine, listening to the disquieted burbling roar and fading throaty sighs of the Miura was better than radio.

When they finally parked up, Elena came face to face with a dilapidated building that looked very much like it was used for the same purpose it's namesake suggested, apart from the addition of an incongruously placed neon sign above the door in glowing blue and two finely pruned sapling poplar trees on the sidewalk out front.

Inside was an unexpected haven for hipsters, dark panelled wooden flooring, scrubbed bare brick walls and row upon row of wine racks and whisky barrels covering an entire wall, thick pillars were dotted throughout covered in jazz graffiti that reached up and spilled over the ceiling in a blaze of colour.

Music thrummed through the air and a beautiful swarthy singer in a long red dress crooned out Billie Holiday blues with gusto on a small raised stage at the back of the room. Elena let the sound wash over her_: I can't believe you're in love with me. _played out on a polished black grand piano, open top, the pianist taking his cues from the singer, following her throaty voice as she sang around the music.

Soft glowing gold lighting dully lit the smoky club and Elena followed Damon to a seat near the bar and consequently near the stage, where she could get the full benefit of the music.

"Wow." She breathed.

Before long two bourbons found their way to them and Elena took great pleasure in leaving her mark on the glass, ice cubes clacking pleasantly when she took a swig.

"How did you find this place?"

"The singer," Damon motioned toward the lady in red "She decided she liked me."

"Oh." Elena glanced over.

Damon leaned across the table "Don't worry, she doesn't remember me."

"Oh god…"

"Relax," he chuckled "I rocked her world…"

Elena groaned, "You know when I first saw you I thought you'd be trouble."

Damon blinked, his head cocked to one side "That's really what you thought when you first saw me?" His expression said he didn't believe that for a second.

Elena swallowed hard and felt heat rush to her face, well it wasn't strictly the very first thing that had came to mind when her eyes had fallen on Damon.

He smiled "I think the _first_ thing you thought when you saw me was that I was hot as Hades."

He swept his hand back through dark hair and grinned toothily, the effect on his features reminding her increasingly of a cat and not the regular kind more like a mountain lion or cougar. Maybe he was right...

"What did you think when you first saw me?" she deflected.

Damon's eyes caught the light faintly as he hesitated over her question. She knew the answer may not be all that she wanted to hear but curiosity overwhelmed her qualms.

"I thought you were beautiful." He said softly "and I …" he smiled "…and I thought I'd cause you trouble."

Elena took a drink of bourbon to hide her deepening blush and watching Damon over the rim realised she knew almost nothing about him: He was a Pandora's Box of secrets, potentially extremely dark secrets, all the same though she wanted to plumb the depths.

"I don't really know you Damon." She said quietly.

He sat back and spread his hands "What's to know?"

Her curiosity was swiftly swallowed, Damon was liable to be brutally honest and she was sure that some things were better left unknown…

"Favourite pick-up line?" she asked weakly.

Damon laughed and pulled out his pocket square "Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?"

Elena pressed her hands over her face "Oh god, you haven't actually used that line have you?"

He smirked and emptied the whiskey down his gullet "Next question."

Elena leaned her elbows on the table "Favourite quote?"

"...From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success."

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? "I would never have pegged you as a Van Dyke fan."

"He's my guilty pleasure."

She quirked a delicate brow at him "You have a lot of those."

"Oh an obscene amount yes." He nodded with smug satisfaction.

"Like what?" she challenged.

Damon leaned in "Like dancing." He stood and offered his hand; Elena bit her lip, casting dark eyes nervously over the dance floor.

The singer belted out _now baby or never_ and Elena took his hand.

She teetered precariously on her heels but Damon, now that he had the hold of her, wasn't letting go. Her heart pounded as he pulled her close and suddenly, as if he'd made it his personal mission to get her as close to heart failure as possible, Damon kissed her, spun her away and drew her back in.

Elena giggled with, only mildly hysterical, girlish delight. "You know I can't dance that well… right?" she warned.

"Nonsense," he said confidently "You just haven't had the right partner."

Damon whirled her about the dance floor, spinning her skirt in great wide fans, flashing her thighs at any opportunity. Elena just went with it: Damon's ease drugged her senses, she could forget her troubles here with him, in the sticky heat and smoke and music.

As the evening lengthened the club got busier, more couples spinning and turning on the dance floor. The stifling atmosphere seemed to hold its breath, laden and thick and Damon held her to him amongst the press of bodies, moving together in a steady rhythm.

He whispered her name in a low husky voice that weakened her knees, placing ardent kisses along her jaw and catching her ear lobe in his teeth. Elena's eyes rolled up, a pained expression painting her face. Jolts of electricity fired down her nerves, a lightening progression straight to her groin. He made the most deliciously indecent noises, carrying away her senses.

The Tantalus of slow moving soft lips exploring her mouth quickened her pulse and her hands smoothed the muscles of his chest and stomach, the thin shirt a flimsy barrier between warm skin and she hooked her fingers in the loops of his trousers, pulling his hips forward curving his long body into hers.

...

The evenings end found them both tumbling out of the club, Damon gone predator pushing her down on the bonnet of the car and Elena dragging him with her, pressing his hips between her thighs and rolling over so she could take control but Damon took hold of the front of her dress and pulled her down, ravishing her mouth with fervour, Elena groaned.

His hands slid up the back of her thighs as she straddled him, strong fingers gripping her, holding her hot quaking epicentre against him. She gasped and Damon pulled her back in, snatching breath, his tongue sliding over her bottom lip and into her mouth, rolling thick and wet.

As Elena found herself relaxing into his arms her phone trilled from the small pocket at her hip, she wrenched her mouth from his and Damon slumped back onto the bonnet.

She groaned in exasperation.

"Just answer it." He panted, defeated.

Elena dismounted, blushing furiously and retrieved her phone.

"Yeah?"

Her face fell as the voice spoke and she gripped Damon's shirt in a tightening fist.

The line went dead…

They stared at each other.

Katherine had Stefan.

"Oh shit, oh shit." Elena gasped.

Damon's mind went into over drive, Katherine was finally acting on whatever plan she had devised.

"Just calm down…"

"But she's got Stefan! She'll hurt him if I don't come…Damon she'll kill him, it should be me…."

Damon cupped her chin "Elena, Elena look at me."

The sound of his voice broke through the panic and Elena sucked in a breath, locking her eyes on his. "I'll get him back." Said simply and meant, she latched onto his infectious confidence and it steadied her frightened heart.

"I want you to call Bonnie and tell her to go to the boarding house."

Elena nodded and started dialling.

Damon backed off and pulled out his own phone. Surely Katherine wouldn't kill Stefan, she claimed to love him. He held that thought, she wouldn't kill him but sometimes there were worse things than death.

"Alaric, what are you up to this evening?"

Ric sighed tiredly _"I'm busy Damon; I've got papers to grade."_

Damon ignored him "Nothing you say? Excellent, there's a bit of problem brewing here, why don't you come over _now_."

"_What's happening?"_

"Kathy dearest is long overdue a good staking. I thought we might gather together a posse and go root out the evil harpy."

"_Uh, okay, I'll be right there."_

_..._

Damon and Elena made it back to the boarding house, quickly changing clothes in time for the arrival of her brother and Bonnie.

"What are you doing here?" Damon glared at Jeremy, "She's useful. _You_ are not."

"Where she goes I go." Jeremy maintained stubbornly. Bonnie blushed.

Damon rolled his eyes "Jeez, cut umbilical…"

The boy crossed his arms and looked pointedly at Elena "Speak for yourself!" he muttered.

Elena chuckled softly and Damon turned a quizzical eye on her "I don't know what you're laughing about, you're not coming either."

Elena's mirth was quickly swallowed "You can't stop me."

Damon faced off "Oh, really?"

"Yes _really_! Stefan was taken to lure me in right?"

"Right, so you should stay the fuck away."

Elena ground her teeth "_So_, I am responsible for this and I should be there to help with his rescue."

Damon shook his head, but Elena stepped in "I would do the same for you."

"That's not the point." He bit "I don't want you to risk yourself for me or anyone!"

"Then what do you want from me?" she fumed.

"Oh," Damon's voice practically dripped with condescension "suddenly you _want_ my opinion?"

She glared up at him "It's not like I can escape from it, you dish it out often enough."

Damon snorted "That's because you're starved for want of common sense!"

"_Common sense?"_ Elena spat acidly "This coming from the man whose plan of attack is let-the-bodies-hit-the-floor!"

Damon baulked "Hey, it's worked in the past and if it's not broke don't fix it!"

"Oh great, _great_…" Elena shook her head.

Damon swallowed his irritation and tried a different tack "Elena?" he stroked his fingers across her jaw, if the others had not known about their new _situation_ they did now. He levelled his eyes on her, Elena could scarcely breathe, it was hard to get used to this.

"Trust me." His voice was gentle and low, speaking for her alone.

This was cheating…

His eyes were so blue, it was difficult to concentrate "I could almost believe you were compelling me." She whispered. Damon grinned menacingly "You think I wouldn't?" She laughed softly, nervously "Oh I think you would."

He slid a hand over her pendant, smoothing his fingers over the metal, "We might have to find something new to put here." His knuckle brushed across the soft sensitive skin of the rise of her breasts, Elena's heart leapt and she immediately felt guilty for feeling like this when Stefan was in danger, she frowned at the ground avoiding Damon's gaze but he sensed the tension and knew the reason for it.

Jeremy and Bonnie wore twin expressions of utter astonishment.

"Can we focus?" Jeremy choked.

Her brother's voice broke the spell and Elena repeated herself with more resolve, "I'm going with you."

Damon made a face and was about to object but she continued "If I have to go alone, I'll find a way; you may as well just let me come."

"Shit." He didn't have the time to argue…he could tie her up…

Elena recognised that look; she'd seen it just before he threw her in the boot of his car. She took a hesitant step back "Damon...No..."

"Sorry it took me so long." Alaric walked in weighed down with all manner of vamp killing goodies, breaking their stale mate. He continued, oblivious "I wanted to make sure I brought everything."

Damon rubbed his hands together "Oh, repeating crossbow, gimme!" Alaric tossed it over; He caressed the wooden frame affectionately.

"I've been trying to concentrate the levels of vervaine in the darts since Katherine has built up a tolerance."

Damon smiled, sometimes he just loved Ric. "Okay...Anyone have any intelligent questions?"

Jeremy was about to speak "I said _intelligent_ questions." Damon warned.

"I haven't even said anything yet!" he said indignantly.

"Yes but you had that look."

"I've got a good one," Alaric glanced around "What the hell's happening?"

"Katherine kidnapped Stefan, she wanted an exchange: Elena and the moonstone for Stefan's life."

Alaric sank down on his hunkers and rummaged in the bag of tricks pulling out a stake and handing it to Jeremy "She really thought we'd go with this?" he asked astounded.

"She didn't intend me to be there when she called Elena." Damon cast his eyes over the girl in question "I think she was hoping you'd do something _naive_ in the name of love."

Elena glowered at him balefully but held her tongue.

Alaric nodded slowly and rose to his feet "…and the plan?"

"Well, Bonnie will do a location spell for us…_now_…" Damon frowned at her pointedly and she scrabbled for her grimoire. "Once we know where to go we'll go there, kill everyone, get Stefan then go home."

"That's the plan?"

"Yes."

Alaric shrugged resignedly "Okay then."

Damon clapped him on the shoulder "I knew there was a reason I stopped trying to kill you."

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for all the reviews, it really helps.<em>


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Anyone for Stake?**

It was a pleasantly warm night, fresh and clear with the smell of mowed grass hanging in the air. He could feel enemies slithering like snakes in the gardens, behind hedges, waiting. Damon rolled his shoulders like a cat, languorously loosening his long muscles for the fight.

Where did she find the time to amass a miniature bloody army? Seriously, was it a newspaper ad: Psychotic vampire legion wanted?

He disliked uneven odds, especially at the hands of his enemies, oh it was alright if _he_ had better odds, of course, nothing at all unfair about that…_this,_ however, was heinously unsportsmanlike but then what had he expected from Katherine?

…and the area…smack bang in the centre of the burbs…

There was nothing at all conspicuous about a brewing brawl in the middle of suburbia. Really Damon would be surprised if anyone noticed at all…

They were so screwed.

The only bonus about this entirely shaky operation was that it was at night and that was it. That was their sole advantage…it was _dark_.

Their little band hovered across the street from the house Stefan was hold up in, watching centuries meander seemingly purposeless up and down the road.

There were three that Damon could make out through the gloom but he could sense more were hidden, all still blessedly ignorant of their presence.

One of the visible three loitered at the garden path leading to the front entrance; his beady eyes were close together, deep set under thick straight brows giving him the impression of a falcon. He shifted his arms twitchily like a bird shifts its wings.

The other had thick massive shoulders incongruously placed upon a lean slender body: Damon dubbed him snake hips.

The last had a head like a dodecahedron, all flat Plains and angles and honestly he pitied the woman who had to push that guy out the birth canal.

Damon readied himself for the assault, casting his eyes up and down the long street. A row of tall spreading sycamore and elm trees lined the road on the opposite side, they could prove useful. As Falcon turned toward the house Damon launched himself out of cover and slammed a stake in his back through the heart to protrude from his gaping bloody chest. Now dead, Falcon was heaved over Damon's shoulder and hauled up a nearby tree, the greying limp body jammed between two branches serving as make-shift storage.

Alaric had immediately taken out Snake-hips with two accurately placed vervaine darts, one in the back of the neck the other lodged in his spine and Jeremy swiftly rugby tackled the vamp into the hedgerow, turfing himself in after as Dodecahedron came running.

A loud piercing bang rang out, deafening in the small hours, the tell tale flash from the muzzle of the object in his hand revealing the presence of a gun to all. Damon was not impressed. He wasted no time and leapt from his perch landing feet first on Dodecahedrons shoulders, reducing him to a boneless heap on the pavement. Damon hunting about located the heart and promptly staked it.

"She'll know we're here." Jeremy said as he brushed leaves from his jacket, Damon nodded. Alaric, Bonnie and Elena appeared from their hiding place.

Shadows moved.

Damon lifted the gun. It may not kill, but it'll hurt like hell, he pressed it into Elena's cold hands.

He really, really wished she wasn't here. "Aim for the head." He smiled grimly.

She stared at the gun and slid her hands around the grip.

"Bonnie I'd say about now is a good time to make yourself of some god damn use!"  
>Four rather large Vampires materialised from the gloom, all appeared deserving of some sort of football scholarship for Offensive Tackle: Damon was certainly offended by the sight of them.<p>

Bonnie did her brain melting voodoo and they crumpled, clutching their heads. Damon nodded approvingly and made for the porch. The white wooden door swung in and Damon passed his hand over the threshold without impediment: An unexpected oversight on Katherine's part and a stroke of luck for their little band.

Alaric tossed him the crossbow and he stepped inside.

Stefan's prison was rather plush in Damon's opinion. Thick magnolia carpets and heavily cushioned tan leather sofas…the only thing slightly off was what appeared to be a meat hook bolted into the ceiling from which Stefan hung with his arms tightly bound above his head, knees sagging no longer able to support his weight.

He looked roughed up and vervained to the eyeballs.

Elena made a move to reach him but Damon held her back, Katherine materialized from the dark like an apparition.

"Elena," she tutted "I was hoping you'd come alone." She sounded relaxed, but the tension around her eyes and in her stance was clear.

"Katherine," Damon stepped forward "it seems you're losing your touch." He gestured toward the door and she grimaced.

"What can I say," she sighed "one of the boys got hungry. He didn't live long enough to savour the meal, if that's any consolation. I do so hate to disappoint your expectations..."

Damon fired a stake at her out of the blue…why mince words?

It lodged in her ribs, just shy of her heart; she hissed like a cat and lashed out, sending the sofa skidding across the room, knocking Bonnie to ground.

Katherine made a desperate snatch for Elena who brought the gun up just in time to punch a hole through her stomach.

Katherine fled leaving three new vampires in her wake, swarming into the room and for the sake of convenience dubbed Moe, Larry and Curly.

Jeremy shielded Bonnie as she unsteadily regained her feet whilst Damon and Alaric had Elena sandwiched between them like filling.

Damon broke the crossbow over the head of Moe and impaled the jagged edge in his chest, planting a boot in his stomach to dislodge the ashen corpse. Alaric's dart gun had jammed and he was reduced to using the thing like a club, but fast Larry latched onto him like a giant leech and Damon pounced knocking the trio to the floor in a writhing tangle, Alaric desperately trying to hold Larry's arms as Damon rammed a coffee table leg through his heart.

"Bonnie!"

Jeremy was wrestled to the ground, his stake snapped off in the belly of Curly and just like that Curly collapsed.

Damon scowled at her "You took your fucking time!"

She rubbed at the large swelling bump on her forehead and flipped him the bird.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Classy."

Elena, none the worse for wear, pawed worriedly at Stefan "He won't wake up!"

Damon grasped his brother's head, thumbing his eyelids back. "It's just the vervaine." He muttered.

"Ric, give me a hand." Damon supported Stefan's weight whilst Alaric cut the ropes.

He glanced nervously toward the street "We should go…"

"…before the cops show up." Damon agreed. "Bonnie, how do you feel about arson?"

"It's a good way to destroy evidence." She answered.

Damon gave her a wry smile and threw Stefan over his shoulder; he could conceivably warm to this girl… as long as she kept that micro aneurism thing to herself.

...

Elena sat by Stefan's bed, reading quietly. She'd kept vigil since they managed to free him the night before. Katherine had pumped enough vervaine in him to drop an elephant…if they were allergic to vervaine that is…and Elena felt guilty for his injuries and for this whole messed up situation. Sometimes she wondered if it would just be better for everyone concerned if she handed herself over.

Stefan stirred and she leaned forward.

"Are you alright?"

He winced "I'm okay, I just feel worn out." He sat up stiffly, stifling a yawn. "I'm sorry I worried you." Smiling tightly, Stefan took hold of her hands. "…and I'm so sorry about everything I've put you through." Remorse thickened his voice and Elena frowned.

"What are you talking about Stefan. You need to rest; you've been through so much."

Stefan shook his head, she was not hearing him "That's not what I mean."

Elena blinked and regarded him uncertainly, "Then what?"

"I shouldn't have lied to you about that girl…"

Elena's mouth tightened and she tried to pull away but Stefan held on.

"Listen," he said urgently "If I'd been honest with you from the start things might have been different." Elena couldn't fault his logic but didn't entirely agree.

He continued "You said you needed time."

She sighed "Yes."

"…and I've given you time…"

"You have." She said softly.

Elena studied her once boyfriend carefully, he looked so pitiful and worn. Katherine had been less than hospitable

"It doesn't have to be over between us Elena…I love you so much…" His eyes shone fervently: Beseeching her pity, her understanding and she regarded him with no small measure of apprehension.

Didn't Stefan deserve a second chance as she had given Damon once before? After everything they'd meant to each other, everything they had been through, shouldn't she _try_ for Stefan? She wondered why forgiving him was so hard, to say that she expected more from Stefan may have been true but shouldn't love conquer all regardless of disappointed expectation?

The pedestal Damon spoke of was close enough to the truth; Elena had placed Stefan high above, _ideal husband_ style but with Stefan on the pedestal where was Damon in all this? Elena knew the answer; Damon was right where she took for granted he would always be, at her side.

Elena sighed heavily "Stefan…"

"No, please listen…." He pleaded with her clutching her hands as though he were a man lost at sea and she his only life line. "You love me don't you?"

She stared down at their interlaced fingers, afraid to look at his face...she wished he would stop asking her that.

"Elena you love me don't you?" drawing her hands up to his mouth and thusly her gaze. She felt small under his intensity and uncertainty robbed her of clear thought, she caved "I do Stefan."

Of course she did, falling in love with Stefan had been so easy, shooting up like fast blossoming flowers bright and vibrant and everything she'd thought she wanted. Then along came Damon and she all this time confusing love with lust an understandable mistake perhaps, after all, how could she love both?

...How could she love both?

She pulled her hands from Stefan's grasp and slumped back in her chair: did she even deserve either of them after this?

"Elena?" Stefan swung his legs down from the bed and leaned toward her.

Why couldn't everything be black and white again, right and wrong, yes and no.

But it's not as simple as that_ ... __"Sometimes it is." _Damon's voice goaded her.

Distrait and anxious, Elena stood and turned her back on him.

Stefan scrubbed his hands over his face "I don't mean to confuse you Elena…"

"Yes you do." She interrupted tersely.

"Give me another chance, I swear I'll never let you down again…I swear it."

Was it pity that clouded her judgement, guilt even...some vain attempt to hold on to something that no longer existed between them?

Her heart felt heavy, a dead weight in her chest "Can you give me more time?" she stared blindly into the distance "…I just… I just need to be sure."

...

She wasn't sure she was doing the right thing, it felt good to be with Damon but Stefan just had to throw a spanner in the works. Elena could feel what she had with Damon was important but she was afraid to let go completely of the familiarity and safety of a relationship she knew and understood the limitations of. With Damon it was ungoverned wilderness, was she really ready for that?

It frightened her how much he would take from her if she let him.

Though never once had he asked her if she loved him and she had never offered the words. Hearsay was her evidence of his love but he did not say it, was he waiting for her?

He'd finally broken into her room the night after she'd spoke with Stefan; she'd been avoiding him, putting off this moment as long as possible.

Damon sat perched, resting elbows on knees, on the ledge at her window. The curtains billowing behind him with a slight gust of wind that ruffled his dark hair, making him look strangely young. His expression was uncharacteristically open, dark brows so often set in anger raised slightly in the middle, had she not known him better Elena would have said he looked almost innocent.

"Is there any reason in particular why you had to visit me tonight?" she asked trying to attain some level of normalcy.

Damon glanced over his shoulder; he'd kind of broken the window in his eagerness to see her. He was angry she'd been avoiding him and was determined to find out the reason but looking at her now he felt his anger fade, instead Damon held her gaze finding it increasingly difficult to breath; something behind her eyes made him afraid which was no easy task.

Damon pushed the feeling aside "Is, because I wanted to a good reason?" he asked, that momentary flash of insecurity gone, hidden behind his charming half smile and glittering blue eyes.

"For you it is." She brushed her dark hair back over her shoulders. "So now you've seen me?" she said, looking pointedly at the window.

"You'd wish me away so soon?" he gave her the puppy dog eyes. "You should at least make it worth the cost to fix the window."

"Oh _you'll_ be paying for that." She stated.

"Says who?"

"Says me!" she put her hands on her hips thrusting out her chin.

Damon stood and rested back on his heels "Someone's a little edgy tonight."

"You broke my window, its cold out there. How am I meant to sleep?"

"Oh I could think of a few things to warm you up, I imagine you'd have very little trouble sleeping afterward too."

Yes, she _could_ imagine. Elena shook her head, trying to focus. It was so easy to forget everything else when he was with her, caught up in the banter, caught up in the moment.

"Damon?"

He could sense something was wrong and felt urged to put off what was closing in on him.

Uneasiness painted her face and Damon took a deep breath.

"Tell me." He said flatly.

Elena licked her lips "I want to take a step back from…"

"…Me."

"From everything and yes," her chest constricted painfully "…from you."

The fear he'd felt earlier rushed unbidden to the surface and he stared at her, his eyes bluer than she'd ever seen before like ice hovering below the surface of the sea.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Stefan's kidnapping would it?"

She grimaced.

He growled "Don't confuse guilt or pity for anything other than what they are."

"But I need to be sure, I don't want this to be a rebound or…" Elena gazed up into his face with wide dark eyes that swallowed the light.

Damon went into lock down.

They had run out of things to say and he turned and left.

...

Deep down he'd been terrified this would happen…that she would leave him, love his brother just like Katherine, despite his best efforts. Take a step back? What the fuck did that mean? Did she need to string him along for a while longer before inevitably choosing the saint?

God, he felt pathetic, all Elena needed to do was crock a finger and he'd come running. What did he have to do to get her? Sell his soul?

…One mans have was another's have not and it seemed to Damon that he perpetually was to have not...the story of his fucking life.

Damon was about ready to go on a rampage when there was a knock at the door.

He swung it open with unnecessary force; Alaric was on the other side.

"Ric?"

"You have something I want." He said.

Damon grimaced "Ric," he sighed patiently "This is going to have to stop, I've already told you you're not my type."

Alaric huffed exasperatedly, but Damon was on a roll.

"You can come in but only for a minute…" Damon pointed warningly at him "…and keep those hands to yourself!"

Alaric just shook his head and followed him in.

"Drink?" Damon offered.

Alaric accepted "I want my crossbow back." He said around a mouthful of bourbon.

Damon winced "Yeah that's gonna be difficult, I kinda broke it…"

Alaric dead panned him "How?"

"Over some vamps head, it was beautiful, really you should have seen it…but it died for a good cause."

Alaric grumbled irritably under his breath and leant back against the sofa. Those things weren't cheap…he shot a look at Damon who came to join him, he seemed distrait and despite the banter not entirely himself.

"How's Stefan?"

Damon nursed his drink against his chest, cold seeping into his skin "Back to his usual broody boring self."

"You think Katherine will try again?" Alaric mused meditatively pressing the glass to his lips and watching Damon's reaction from the corner of his eye.

Damon smiled darkly "She owes me one, she'll be back."

"…Thank you by the way." Alaric shrugged uncomfortably "You saved me back there." He prodded surreptitiously at his wounded shoulder where the vampire had tried to take a chunk out of him.

Damon flashed a half smile "I couldn't very well let you die, Stefan's no fun to tease. What on earth would I do with my time…"

Damon hesitated, tilting his head slightly, "Did you hear that?"

Alaric was immediately alert. "What?"

"Alaric…"

Ric didn't like it very much when Damon used his full name it never meant anything good.

"Run."

Too late…

Vampires burst in the front door and Damon took hold of Alaric and tossed him out the main window as he was tackled into the wall. Damon landed a solid right hook, swiftly grabbing the back of the vamps head and bringing it down with force on his rising knee.

He felt the burning acid sting of vervaine wash over his back and a stake exploded into his shoulder, splintering with the force which launched it, Damon went down.

Katherine came to stand over him. "I won't treat you with the same compassion I showed Stefan." She said hollowly.

Damon clenched his teeth "I figured as much." He grunted painfully. It seemed all the women in his life were having a crack at him today. She reached down and prodded at the protruding splinters of wood.

A bunch of other non-descript vampire lackeys took him by the arms and hauled him to his feet. Damon sagged between them.

"Tie him up." She ordered.

They shoved him down in a solid wooden chair and gloving their hands wrapped vervaine soaked ropes around his arms, from wrist to forearm and from ankle to knee.

The acidic flesh burning sting was excruciating, sweat sprang to his skin covering his entire body. Damon shuddered.

"Check if there's anyone else home."

The larger of the two Vamps was on the move in an instant, the other just stood there looking a bit vacant. This guy clearly wasn't firing on all cylinders. Katherine gave him an encouraging pat on the back to get him moving.

"Trouble with the help?" Damon gritted his teeth in a ghastly grin.

Katherine shrugged and gave him a nostalgic smile "It's just not like the old days...is Elena here by any chance?"

He laughed "Wrong house, peaches."

She spun a stake along the back of her fingers with expert ease, "This," she hissed "is for trying to kill me." She plunged the stake into his stomach and Damon crumpled forward groaning pitifully as she slowly extracted the fat splint.

"…Tell me something." Damon gasped, suppressing the pain as best he could.

She studied him carefully before nodding.

"Why take Stefan?"

She shrugged "Bate..." simply put "...I didn't realise I had the wrong brother though…She'll come running for you Damon."

Katherine was behind on the times it seemed, Damon snorted "Stefan will stop her."

"You think so?" She twisted the stake, still imbedded in his shoulder, Damon hissed in pain "I'm not so sure, we Petrova women are a resourceful sort. I have faith."

"What… are you going to do?"

"To you?" she bent the stake, twisting it in the wound.

Damon bucked in the chair "…To her…" he panted.

"Give her and the moonstone to Klaus, _obviously_." she let go of the stake and Damon sank into the seat, all the muscles in his body simultaneously turning to water.

"...One more thing…" he gasped. "Why did you drug him?"

"I was hoping to direct his anger a little…toward you actually, Elena has too many protectors." She smiled "You might say I was trying to take out her support base…at least, the one I was willing to lose."

"_Nice_." He muttered.

She blew him a kiss. "Shame the potion didn't last long enough… those shot glasses are so _puny_, I think he needed a bigger dose."

She tutted irritably "We don't have a lot of time before the abortive rescue attempt ensues, so why don't you just tell me where the moonstone is and we can get this over with?"

Damon squinted up at her "Do you even know me at all?"

"At the risk of sounding like a Bond villain Damon, we have ways of making you talk."

* * *

><p><em>So, tell me what you think...<em>


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Martyrs**

When Damon had left Elena was hoping for the certainty that she was doing the right thing to settle over her, but the longer she waited the less likely it seemed this was going to happen.

She sat chewing her lip and staring into the middle distance caught in a churn of anxiety and confusion, still running the conversation over and over in her mind.

Maybe it _was_ guilt that prompted the decision to step back, rather than a want to consider starting over with Stefan. She felt like a coward and realised this seemingly simple decision was the biggest mistake she'd made so far in the long list of bloody stupid mistakes from the start.

The sounds of faint movement caught her attention and she was drawn from her malaise.

"Stefan?" Elena stared wide eyed at him clambering in her window. "What are you doing here?"

"You're windows broken."

"I know that but what are you doing here?"

Stefan stuffed his hands in his pockets looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar "I wanted to see you." He said.

What about _needing time_ did he not understand?

"I…"

His phone rang cutting him off and he sighed, Elena was grateful for the interruption.

He frowned down at the caller ID. "It's Alaric…I should probably take this…"

She spread her hands "Go ahead."

Stefan stepped out into the hall, he spoke quietly.

"Alaric? What's wrong?"…"And you escaped?"…

Elena's ears plucked up… _escaped_?

"Katherine has him? … is he still alive?"

Elena's hand fisted in her shirt right above her fast beating heart: She could hear _everything_; so long with vamp hearing he often underestimated that of humans.

There was no doubt in her mind who_ he_ was. Damon…Katherine had Damon.

When was this ever going to stop, why were the people she cared about always punished?

Blind panic began to build, Katherine was going to kill him… if he wasn't already dead…Her heart pounded so hard she felt lightheaded. Elena should never have let him leave.

Stefan ended the call and Elena fought to calm herself.

"What happened?" she demanded instantly.

She could see the cogs working behind his eyes, trying to think of a plausible lie.

He sighed defeated "Katherine has Damon... Alaric managed to escape from the boarding house before they could stop him."

Elena felt ill, her sallow face frozen in an expressionless mask. Oh god, she couldn't take him from her! The prospect of his death was more terrifying to her than her own and suddenly it _was_ simple, it _was_ black and white and it _was_ yes and no.

Damon had been right all along, she had simply refused to see, too afraid of taking the leap.

He had wormed his way in and wrapped himself around her heart so tightly it only beat at his behest. It had taken her long enough to realise it and now that she had she would never turn from it, _never again_.

"Are you okay?" He asked tentatively.

"I have to get him back." She whispered.

Stefan swallowed "Alaric and I can handle it, I'll call Caroline…"

Elena flinched from him; if he didn't let her help she would take matters into her own hands. She was thoroughly tired of being _protected_, anger and sickening fear seethed under the surface.

"I've got to go…" he studied her worriedly "Promise me you won't do anything Elena…promise me you won't try anything."

She nodded, dark eyes fixed and never once meeting his gaze.

Stefan was unsatisfied but had not the time to waste. He could call Bonnie to watch her and be sure she was safe. Comforted by that thought he left quickly through the window. Trembling, Elena waited until she was sure he was gone and snatched the car keys from the bed side table running for the car.

If Katherine wanted her, she could have her.

She couldn't allow Damon to die.

...

His world crumbled when she walked in, those beautiful wide frightened eyes bright with tears. What he had been through was not pain compared to this.

"Elena." His voice shook, rage and fear fighting for supremacy, she couldn't be here.

Her lips trembled as she smiled "I'm sorry Damon." She whispered.

"Awwh, this is sweet." Katherine spoke up. "Why don't I give you a moment?" She tugged Elena to her side roughly, digging her fingers in the soft flesh of Elena's arm; she squirmed and gritted her teeth against the pain.

Damon growled, the sound resonating through the room, his fangs extending: eyes awash with scarlet as vivid as the blood that spilled afresh from his wounds to stain his chest.

"The little miss has promised to tell us where the moonstone is if we free you." Katherine smiled cruelly, grinding her fingers deeper, Elena cried out "Please…."

Damon struggled in his restraints wooden stakes splitting and scoring over his skin, gouging valleys in muscle.

"Please, let me…" she gasped, grasping at her arm "... Let me speak to him."

Katherine shoved and she fell to her knees "Go ahead."

Elena shuffled forward, ignoring her arm; it was superficial in comparison to what they had done to Damon.

"Elena." he groaned "Why did you do this?"

She smiled sadly touching her hands against his face "Look at what she's done to you." She whispered, tears rolling fast from her eyes. "Oh Damon I'm so sorry."

He shook his head and winced. "It's not your fault."

Her face crumpled, slender shoulders shaking with sobs. Damon longed to hold her for the last time, they were both dead now. Katherine was as ruthless as he was and Damon didn't do exchanges. She was so naïve, so innocent and god he loved her.

Damon glared at the mess of men; he wasn't going to make it easy for them, he'd make them squeal before he was done.

Elena reached up and touched his face; her lips fluttered over his bloodied skin and Damon closed his eyes as she caught his mouth in a kiss, soft and salted.

"Enough!" she was dragged back by the hair by one of Katherine's' lackeys.

"Time to go."

She left a meaningful look for the remaining men; they had their orders and made for the back door with Elena in tow.

Damon sucked in a deep breath, schooling his face to calmness, glaring down any Vamp that made eye contact.

Apparently Katherine's band of vampire brothers surrounded themselves with Blade style familiars, or as Damon liked to call them, snacks.

One swaggered over grinning toothily, he leaned in close "I'm gonna enjoy making you beg for death and when the time comes…I'm gonna _enjoy_ your little girlfriend too."

Katherine's side kick made the mistake of gloating within reach of his fangs. Damon surged forward latching his teeth into his fat neck, drawing as much blood from him as he could before ripping a chunk out, blood spurting everywhere. Damon laughed uproariously, anticipating his own end.

Just as the others were about to descend upon him there was a crash and in stormed Stefan and Alaric. Vervaine darts going all directions, Caroline waded in after them, staking whoever came within reach.

A vampire broke off from the mayhem making a beeline for Damon, stake in hand.

Alaric seeing this, tore a machete from the straps on his long leg and lopped off its arm, mere inches from staking a rather worried looking Damon. The stake and accompanying appendage dropped into his lap and Alaric finished the deed taking the head with one clean sweep.

Damon let out a gasp off relief "Ric you're my hero."

"Anything for a damsel in distress." he said smugly.

Caroline was about to finish the last, but Damon stopped her "Wait!" he boomed, his voice finding a little of what strength he had left.

Stefan undid the ropes, hissing as vervaine burned his hands.

"Katherine took Elena." Damon panted.

"What? How? Where is she?" he sounded panicked, he should be.

"I have no fucking idea." He fought to remain calm "Give me that little shit!" Damon fell out of the chair.

If they had been a few minutes earlier…he shook his head they'd have been outnumbered. Everyone would have died.

Caroline brought the man to him and Damon wasted no time draining the fucker dry, as messily and painfully as he knew how. Alaric looked decidedly pale, Stefan and Caroline looked hungry.

"Uh, that felt good." Damon rolled the lifeless body away.

"He could have told us where to find her Damon." Stefan clenched his fists.

He wobbled to his feet, feeling unsteady but a hell of a lot better than before. "Katherine doesn't know where they're going either, only where Elena leads her."

He sucked in a breath "We can track them."

Stefan and Caroline mimicked him, sniffing the air experimentally.

Stefan nodded "Alaric can you keep up?"

"I'll try." He breathed.

Ric wasn't going to be the only dead weight, Damon was ailing badly, a little blood helped to boost him but only for a short time, vervaine raged in his system, splinters of wood lodged deep in his flesh, he certainly wouldn't be performing at his peak.

The band set out into the forest, Damon dead on the scent.

...

Elena was terrified but held her head high, shoulders back. They may be afraid but she would be damned if she let them see it. She prayed they had freed Damon…What they had done to him, it twisted her stomach. Bloodied and broken, bound and peppered with cuts and gashes.

He'd looked so angry when she saw him, she almost believed he would have started another argument right there.

He was right, she _was_ naïve, but she had to _try_ to save him: Elena couldn't live without Damon.

"Okay sweetheart, where to?"

Elena scanned the unfamiliar woods, trying to get her bearings "There's a well." She kept her voice steady.

When they found out the moonstone wasn't there…fear twisted in her belly, she'd cross that bridge when she got to it and feared it would come too soon.

"Is Damon free?"

Katherine levelled hard eyes on her and sneered "Never you mind about Damon, it's time to focus on other things."

"I won't help if he's not free!"

A backhanded slap unhinged her jaw and Elena collapsed onto the soft loam of the forest floor. She knelt over her, rubbing her face into the dirt.

"I don't think you're in a position to demand things from me."

Elena sobbed, knowing now that Damon was dead; they were never going to free him and now she was going to die, handed over to Klaus like some prize thanksgiving turkey.

Katherine grasped her chin, jerking her head "The well?" she chuckled and flicked a knife from her pocket scoring the blade over her cheek "If you're lying, I'll carve my initials in your forehead."

Elena cringed as the sharp edge broke skin.

"It's there."

"If you're lying…" She threatened again.

"It's there." She repeated in a frightened whisper, eyes locked on the shining metal leaving a shallow trail down her cheek. "So uncreative, hiding it in my original spot." She muttered, heaving Elena to her feet.

...

Katherine halted in her tracks studying back the way they had come. Damon was poised, muscles bunched absolutely gasping to go all angel of death on their asses but they waited.

Stefan had scouted ahead to cut them off, all they had to do was wait for him to pop out then…boom!

Pandemonium.

Caroline descended upon the scene like a Tasmanian devil, she was really getting the hang of this violence business and Damon was giving new meaning to the term stealer of hearts, irrespective of gender all fell at his bloodied hands.

Stefan opted for a more refined approach vervaine darts his weapon of choice, Alaric was much the same, doing his level best to keep a safe distance, whilst reeking havoc.

Elena hit the deck the minute darts had started to fly, Damon and Stefan fought their way to her.

A nerdy looking lackey hauled Elena up, grasping a strong arm around her waist and pressed a long knife against her throat. Everything froze, all were dead but him and Katherine, Damon and Stefan faced off.

"Come near me and she dies, I'm fast enough to ram this in her brain."

He twisted the blade up directly under her chin, piercing her flesh.

"Wait!" Stefan shouted.

Elena jerked at the sound and squeezed shut her eyes.

"The _second_ she dies is the second you lose your leverage," Damon growled "and then you're _mine_."

The nerd smirked.

Katherine hovered, now outnumbered her instincts told her to run but Elena was a solid advantage.

"_Please_, don't hurt her." Stefan tried to placate him.

Damon looked to Alaric, standing slightly behind the nerd, his eyes alighting on the vervaine dart loaded in his crossbow. Damon had some experience of Rics aim in the past and if he could pull this off he'd thank him alright, he'd do anything Ric fucking wanted!

Alaric saw the meaning in his gaze, raised the bow and let fly, a dart thunking into the nerds shoulder. His grip on the knife wavered and he stumbled back, Damon leapt connecting knees first with his chest sending them both to ground and knocking the wind from his lungs.

Without further ado, Damon sank his fingers into the soft skin of the nerd's jugular and tore his screaming head clean from his shoulders. He raised himself off the corpse unsteadily.

Stefan surged forward wrestling Katherine to the ground, halting her escape, she tossed him off, he landed on his feet and came right back at her welting her in the stomach, doubling her over, she kicked for him but Damon landed a punishing right hook, spinning Katherine on her feet. She recovered quickly and leapt on him like a monkey, trying to pin his arms but Stefan prized her off, snapping her slender arm at the joint and Damon took a handful of her long flowing tresses, wrapped them around her throat and strangled her with them, digging his knee viciously into her back, awkwardly arching her body forward: unable to maintain the stressed position for long she fell to her knees. Damon wrenched with greater force ripping handfuls of dark hair out at the roots, Katherine screeched, wailing like a banshee. She crashed backwards onto the forest floor.

Mustering all his might Damon held her, stabbing a vervaine dart into her shoulder "DO IT!" Damon screamed at his brother but Stefan hovers, crippled with indecision.

There were so many times before this where he was willing to kill Katherine and be done with it but now with nothing standing in his way, Stefan couldn't.

Damon, seeing this, rips the stake from his hand.

He stands over her, arm raised, poised to strike, powerful, uncompromising. Damon hesitates, Katherine smiles.

"Goodbye Katherine." he whispers.

Her eyes widen in terror, anticipating the stake that pierces her heart with pin point accuracy. Damon watches with morbid fascination as her flawless gold skin washes out to lifeless grey, spidery black veins cracking over the surface. He's not sure what he feels and he doesn't want to think too hard about it either. He would have tolerated risk to anyone but Elena and that was Katherine's final mistake.

Elena fatigued by the near constant fear, slumped boneless to the ground and Damon swept her into his arms, curling his body around her possessively. "Are you hurt?" he said urgently. His bloodied hands slid over her checking for life threatening injuries before he wrapped her up again.

Elena sobbed with relief, Damon was alive and that was all that mattered.

"What did I tell you before about this fucking martyr nonsense?" he tried to rally round, make a few wise cracks but he was too exhausted.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she buried her face in his chest and wept.

"Stop doing this to me," He whispered. Rocking her back and forth in his arms, "I can't take it."

...

Stefan wasn't sure how to take what he was witnessing, seeing the girl he loved bury herself so completely into the arms of his brother and the way her held her, like he was never letting go set off an uneasiness in the pit of his stomach.

He desperately wanted to step forward and prize Elena from Damon's grasp, but there was something in the way she clung to him that said it wouldn't only be Damon that objected if he acted on the impulse.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but was in reality only minutes, Damon helped Elena to her feet. She was wiping the tears from her face when her eyes alighted on Stefan, she looked stunned.

It would seem, to Stefan's utter horror, she hadn't even noticed he was there.

"Stefan?" she smiled awkwardly and was about to walk to him when she felt a strong hand slide into hers and give the slightest squeeze. She turned to Damon; he looked like he wanted desperately to say something but remained silent, settling instead to drink her in with his eyes.

Elena's heart surged, he didn't need to say anything she could see it.

She fell back to his side gazing up at him, lifting herself onto her toes she pressed her other hand to his face and kissed his cheek, lingering a moment longer.

She nuzzled against his face and sighed audibly as he leaned into her. Then slowly pulled away aware of Stefan's eyes on them.

She refused to feel guilty, revelling in the relief she felt from her new found resolve.

"Stefan," She said finally letting go of Damon's hand "Take me home."

...

The wearied group made their way back to the boarding house and Stefan drove Elena the rest of the way home.

The drive was in silence not because Stefan didn't want to speak, but because there was this yawning gap stretching out between them that he simply did not know how to brooch. Something was different, something he knew he could not fix.

Elena leaned against the door, seemingly at ease but was anything but. She felt the distance too and was saddened by what they had come to but she was sure now and despite knowing what would come next she could not hold down the throbbing anticipation within her chest, yearning to say something that had remained too long unsaid.

This feeling, creeping up so slowly all this time she tried to resist, but who could resist him? He had forced her to look directly at this thing between them so many times but she had shied from it, determined not to see, not to understand her own heart.

Damon had carved out a place for himself and there was no longer room for his little brother.

When Stefan parked his car outside her house, Elena didn't get out and he knew what was coming. "Stefan," she turned to look into his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want to hear it." He whispered.

Elena closed her eyes, "But you have to." She would not be dissuaded.

"When you first came here I was a wreck," she put her hand on his arm, gently, consolingly. "I was dead, you brought me back to life again and I am so grateful for that."

She felt tears in her eyes and didn't fight them, he deserved her heartbreak.

"Why Elena?" his voice was taught "This is all because I killed Anne Marie isn't it..."

He scrabbled for her hands and clutched tightly, his eyes imploring.

"No, Stefan. I'm sorry I let you think there was still a chance for us, it was wrong."

Stefan's face twisted in pain but he didn't let go "Do you love me?" he asked quietly.

"Not like I used to."

"But you love him." His voice was hard.

"Yes." She answered simply.

"More than you loved me?" he wouldn't look at her.

"Stefan…"

"More than you loved me?"

She sighed. "Yes." He let go of her hands and sat back, staring ahead into the road.

He was silent for a long time, gripping the steering wheel, Elena hurt for him.

Removing her necklace, Elena whispered "I'm sorry Stefan." and placed a final kiss upon his cheek. She left the car and the necklace lay untouched upon the dashboard.

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><p><em>Please Review...<em>


	16. Chapter 16

_Warning: graphic sexual scenes_

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><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

**Dessert**

It was the evening of the day after the event and Damon didn't know what to do with himself, get drunk, kill someone? It was the first time in a long time that he hadn't known how to drown his sorrow, if in fact it was sorrow he was feeling… it was more like a combo-attack of a whole load of emotions he wasn't sure, _at all_, how to handle which left him uncharacteristically indecisive about how he could ruin it.

She had went back to Stefan, he should be angry, hurt and he was, he _was_ angry, _furious_ but the way Elena had kissed him, held him, he felt hope, a terrified hope.

He was staring at the untouched glass of bourbon as if it held the answers.

As, he supposed whimsically, with all elixirs of life, you gotta drink it to find out.

He put the glass to his lips on the cusp of tilting it back when he heard the front door click, a slight gust of wind bringing with it the faint scent of Elena.

She poked her head around the corner, dark eyes landing on him immediately.

"Damon." She said simply. He stood and necked the whiskey; if he hadn't needed a little alcoholic fortification before he sure as hell needed it now.

"Elena." He said in answer, casting the empty glass aside.

She was looking particularly gorgeous today, her chestnut hair a little dishevelled and high colour painting her cheeks.

He was trying to read her expression, preparing for the worst. "You're looking none the worse for wear for a woman who just tried to commit suicide."

She smiled, refusing to allow him to get a rise out of her. "Well," she pulled off her jacket and laid it over the arm of the chair, "I went on an ice-cream binge last night, I'm riding a sugar high."

He grunted, remembering a certain conversation they'd had about ice-cream once before. "Vanilla no doubt?" he managed to hide the edge of bitterness, _just._

Elena raised her eyebrow "Oh no, I was on the good stuff, chocolate, you were right you know, once you've had a taste…"

Damon was momentarily speechless; he didn't want to read into this, I mean they could in earnest be having a conversation about Ice-cream flavours right now but…

He risked the eye-thing and Elena laughed as reward, the faint blush spreading down her throat.

"See, I thought you were more of a Rocky-road kinda girl."

"I could be that too." She said breathlessly.

His bold blue eyes bored into her and she nodded barely perceptibly, but it was enough.

Damon wasted no time, he was on her in seconds, pulling her slender body up into his arms and kissing her for all he was worth, every longing, wanton and desirous thought pouring out of him and into her.

Elena wrapped herself around him drawing his tongue into her mouth and raking her hands in his hair, feeling positively feral in his embrace. His hands slid down over her backside giving a little squeeze and lifting her off the ground, Elena groaned and buried her face in his neck.

The whole moment was overwhelming and she couldn't hold back anymore "I love you." She whispered.

Damon's arms tightened around her, his kiss momentarily stilled "What?" his voice was ragged.

"I love you." She repeated brushing his hair back affectionately.

Damon felt weak and slid down on his knees.

Elena sank down with him to straddle his waist.

Was this real?

Damon's hands reached hesitantly for her face, smoothing across silken skin.

Yes, this was real, Elena, _his_ Elena.

She felt tears shine in her eyes at his astonished expression, as if even with all his bravado, all the times he'd told her with such self confidence that there was something between them, he had never actually believed this moment would come.

How much those three simple words affected him…Elena realised that because they were never denied her she took them for granted. All the people Damon ever cared about saw him in the smallest terms and dimmest light. He was desperate for simple affection, even more so for love. Experience told him he deserved neither and time had strengthened the belief.

She would be forever reaffirming the words and she would, she would say it as often as he needed, it overflowed in her.

"I love you." She whispered her voice breaking. He closed his eyes, taking a slow breath. His heart felt like it was going to burst; he didn't know it could be like this…

Damon kissed her deeply, her soft lips yielding against his; he whispered against her mouth again and again "I love you." And Elena wondered if it was possible to die of happiness.

They stayed like that, wrapped in each others arms for a long time, touching and caressing: Ever increasing eagerness to know every inch of the other.

He stroked her long hair back exposing the delicate translucent skin of her pale throat patterned with faint veins pumping hot blood at racing pace. He trailed his mouth down, tilting back her head and kissing along her collarbone: Elena's hands fisted in his hair, fingers curling and combing, urging him, encouraging.

"Make love to me." She murmured in a throaty whisper. Damon drew back and studied her face, blushing and beautiful and certain.

"Yes." He answered simply.

Elena rose to her feet and Damon followed her up the stairs: She could feel his eyes roving her body, caressing her without touch.

He needed to touch her. Damon pulled her against him, moulding his body against the curve of her back, his hands sliding down over her backside and around to smooth over quivering thighs, anticipation robbing complete control. Elena gripped his hips with one hand allowing the other to tangle in soft black hair pulling his face down to nuzzle her neck.

He nipped teasingly at her ear sending delicious little jolts of electricity straight to her groin; she shivered biting down on her bottom lip. His hands travelled up again, one cupping her breast the other undoing the button on her jeans and burrowing down into the warm dark place between her legs.

Elena groaned and he swallowed the sound with his mouth; she twisted slightly in his arms.

"Elena." His voice was thick with desire.

She gasped as he plunged long fingers inside her. "…oh god…" She panted.

Damon wriggled his fingers, her whole body shuddered. She could feel him stiffen against her backside and ground against him. Elena would have reached round to give him a little ease but at that precise moment he'd found her G-spot and all cognitive ability fled.

He began pumping his hand up and down steadily and quickly as the warm muscles around his fingers shuddered and contracted. Her whole body jerked and Damon whispered to her softly, "Breathe, I've got you."

Elena breathed.

He slid his fingers from her and she juddered, grasping for his arms, for anything to hold onto lest she be swept away "Please…" she mewled.

Long fingers slid back in as answer and he started pumping harder this time, Elena arched and shuddered and went rigid in his arms, clenching over and over on his fingers, her heart was pounding so fast she was sure she'd pass out. A deep protracted groan building until she cried out finally and went limp; Damon wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him as she gasped for breath.

"My god!" she whispered, her body still reeling, after shocks spinning up her spine.

Damon slid his tongue in her ear and she could feel everything tightening up again. She twisted in his arms and started pulling at his shirt, Damon was laughing as he did everything he could to help.

Elena giggled and gasped when he latched onto her breast after ripping her bra off and tossing it carelessly away. Her skin goose-pimpled, little tingles shivering over her entire body, he knew exactly what to do to get her off.

Damon found his way back to her mouth gathered her in his arms and kissed her, his tongue rolling over hers soft and wet and thick, she ached for him.

He backed her up toward the bedroom but she stopped him, groaning against his mouth "Not the bed." She could feel a laugh building in his throat "Not the bed?" he repeated.

She wriggled out of her knickers.

"I'm tired of the bed." She pouted.

Damon watched little black lacy briefs fall to the floor "Whatever you say."

Elena stepped forward and started undoing his jeans, never taking her dark eyes from his as she slid them, along with the black boxers beneath, down his legs. His dick brushing against her as she rose causing his breath to hitch. His vamp face was vividly in place but Elena was not afraid, she stretched her arms up to pull him down both sprawling on the floor in an unruly tangle.

He pinned her arms above her head kissing her passionately. Rubbing his stiff length along the opening between her legs; she shivered, deep painful throbs taking her breath away.

"Damon" she moaned, she would beg, plead; she would do anything to have him. He sat back and slid her legs apart a little farther, he would have gone down on her but couldn't wait any longer he was as desperate to be in her as she was to have him.

The tight muscles of her stomach quivered as he slithered back up her body.

She shivered enjoying his teasing, enjoying his lean muscular body rubbing over hers, grinding over hers.

He rotated his hips and she arched up to meet him, dipping inside.

Elena gasped, disgruntled when he pulled back, denying her.

She reached down and Damon let her guide him in, never taking his gaze from hers, the burning feral light in her eyes flashing brighter as he drove inside achingly slow, hot wet walls swallowing his girth and tightening as he gave a last little shunt burying deep to the hilt.

Elena cried out, her hands clawing up to her hair "uuh, Damon." She groaned.

There mouths meet in a bruising collision as Elena gathered limbs around his body like a pretzel, her tongue roving inside his mouth hungrily.

Damon couldn't hold back anymore and steadily rocked into her, letting his body weight weigh upon her slight frame unwilling to allow any space between him and her soft damp skin.

His pubic bone ground against her clitoris with each deepening thrust, the familiar protracted moan sounding deep in her throat. Elena was coming apart at the seems in Damon's arms, shaking and throbbing and groaning, her body felt feverish and a blush bloomed over her chest spreading up her throat and down her belly, she was cuming.

Damon gripped her hips lifting himself to his knees, arching her quaking body off the floor, leaving her shoulders grounded, pounding harder. Elena's mouth gaped in silent scream; she didn't know it could be like this….uh she was so close, he was throbbing inside her; she tightened around him in answer.

Damon slid his hands up her back lifting her onto his knee; Elena gnawed at his mouth their heads rolling to deepen the kiss. Elena could hardly breathe, who needed oxygen!

Damon thrust his hips upward in deep penetrative rolls and Elena hung in his arms her hands behind her holding his knees in a death grip, gritting her teeth and forcing her glistening body down hard as he drove up, every time over and over.

Her chest heaved; the muscles inside her started that rhythmic clenching, squeezing around him.

He groaned against her throat wrapping his arms around her waist. She arched forward as his thrusts lost their rhythm becoming instinctual as he came with her. Elena shuddered violently her orgasm bringing her to the brink of unconsciousness.

She couldn't remember if she screamed or fainted, only the most intense repeating waves of pleasure like being caught in the surf, crashing over her drowning her.

He brushed her hair back from her face and she smiled, hazy with the afterglow. Damon grinned, leaning in for a kiss and tugging her bottom lip.

"Damon." She murmured contented against his mouth, utterly sated.

He stood easily, taking Elena with him and they found their way to the bed; Damon just made everything more exciting.

He lay her down and she wrapped him up in long limbs, kissing hungrily.

"Bite me." She moaned, Damon's eyes reddened instantly, fangs extending pressing against the yielding flesh "Where?"

Elena hesitated, good question, she'd expected him to go for the obvious, her neck…but like she'd said before Damon just made _everything_ more exciting.

"Where do you want to bite me?" she giggled, arousal adding a certain huskiness to her voice.

Damon pouted and sat up, letting his eyes rove over her body. He could smell the warmth from her faintly glowing skin the barest hint of musky sweet perfume: it was heady, intoxicating and he felt his fangs extend further. His lips peeled back the instinctual reflex to bite was painful to hold in check.

Elena was staring at him rapt, her coffee coloured eyes wide.

The way Damon's face transformed was so different than Stefan, the process was basically the same but the affect on the man differed significantly. For Stefan it was painful, something he was ashamed of that had to be fought back, denied. For Damon it was deeply arousing, intensely insatiable, he revelled in it unashamed of his needs. Watching him like this was mesmeric she was infected by the power of his reaction and knowing she was the cause.

"Here." He hissed, stroking long fingers over the pale expanse of skin beside the curly dark hair of her groin.

Elena's eyes rolled up "Yes!" she breathed.

Damon pressed his face against the sensitive silken skin of Elena's inner thigh inhaling her scent and holding his breath, like an asthmatic taking medication.

Damon shuddered, she smelt good. He could feel the blood pumping thickly under her skin, he wanted it; he wanted to taste her again.

He bit into the femoral artery, dark metallic liquid spilled into his mouth and down her leg. He drank greedily; hearing her moan, holding her thigh in place as she writhed. Damon's bite was an art form when he wanted it to be but that didn't mean it didn't hurt, fangs piercing skin sent sharp jolts of pain up her leg, the wound stinging under his wet lips, but arousal had heightened her pain threshold and Elena smoothed her other thigh over his shoulder, urging him on: shuddering when Damon dug his fingers in and with one last powerful draw he pulled away, eyes rolling back.

"Damon." Elena begged. Blue eyes snapped back into focus, he smiled and without further ado buried his face between her legs, lapping like a puppy at its water bowl.

Elena yelped in delight, her back arching, hips kicking up. Damon held her steady. Elena was grasping the bed wriggling, her head shaking side to side, absolutely lost in ecstasy.

Damon kissed, working her with his tongue then sucking and stroking. Her body vibrated, Elena hardly knew what to do with herself. She gasped and ground against him, she was going to pass out, defiantly, d_efiantly_ going to pass out.

…and suddenly he pulled away.

Her hands clawed at his shoulders, "Damonnn." She whined.

Elena was unhinged with need; he chuckled and slithered up her body.

"Maybe I should stop, you look tired." He teased.

It took her a moment to find her voice "I'm not done with you yet…"

His mouth dragged across her cheek, heated kisses tantalizingly close to panting parted lips, her hot anguished breath caught with anticipation. Want thrummed in her heaving chest and tingling rushing warmth pervaded her entire body, localizing in her groin as a deep painful throbbing.

Elena ached for him.

She yielded as he sank hot and thick into her once more rolling his hips in languid delving thrusts.

Damon went slow this time, kissing softly the salt of sweat tasting her lips, building back up to climax. Elena held him like a life line, her energy near spent, body shaking with the effort of exertion. Damon sank into her more deeply, once again and then some, Elena's hands shot up to the head board gripping with iron fists.

"Harder!" she gasped and her wish was his command.

Damon grunted as he thrust deeper increasing the pace.

Her back arching off the mattress lifting his body with her, sent both skyrocketing into oblivion, a whooping cry ripping from her mouth. Thank god no one lived near by, it was the most indecent sound Damon had ever heard!

They collapsed boneless to the bed, breathing heavily, utterly spent. Elena slid her arms up Damon's back and held him nuzzling into her neck, content to stay exactly as they were. Hands caressing and touching and ceaselessly stroking, she would never be done with him.

"I love you." She said softly, he tightened his hold on her.

"I love you." He repeated as though he'd been the one to say it first.

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><p>The End<p>

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><p><em>Thank you to everybody who read along. I really appreciate that you took the time and I hope you enjoyed it.<em>

_Love, Preshie ;)_


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